Letting Go
Artist: Jennifer Knapp
Grayline Records
Released May 11, 2010
Ten tracks, duration 34:51 

Jennifer Knapp, the Dove award winning and Grammy nominated artist, has returned after a long sabbatical with a soul searching, lay-it-out-on-the-line album. Over this time, her signature voice, lyrics, and song writing skills have matured. This album’s song collection has slid up a few notches compared to previous offerings showing greater personal expression in acoustic lead ballads and angst in edgier rockers. With a new label and recent life changes have come a new message and a new beginning.

Knapp’s newest and long awaited collection of songs ranges from heart and soul ballads of love and longing to angst-ridden hard rockers all coming straight from deep inside of the  artist. It is easy to acknowledge Knapp’s personnel growth, faith and life experiences by following her music from her early indie releases ‘Wishing Well’ and ‘Circle  Back’ to her hit albums, and at long last to this collection of very personalized songs.  Letting Go does just that for Knapp, who in this release continues her musical journey of growth by letting go of her past and bravely entering a new world baring her soul to her audience through her art – the trade mark of every great artist in every artistic venue. These offerings clearly show the hurt and pain of an artist living with the expectations of her public and the industry / media she works in. 

The opener, ‘Dive In,’ is a rocker giving the listener an insight to life’s personal struggles - “I’m so tired of standing on the edge of myself, You know I’m longing for it, Dive in. You know your walls will push me over the edge, Dive in.” Rockers are well mixed with acoustic ballads such as ‘Fallen’ with lyrics of true love “Even though they say we have fallen, Doesn’t mean that I won’t do it twice, Given every second chance, I choose again to be with you tonight” and ‘On Love’ driven by strong acoustic guitar rhythm and soft lyrics. The title track ‘Letting Go’ is a strong rocker and archetypical Knapp, telling of relationships and change. The collection ends with the wonderful acoustic ballad ‘Stone to the River’. 
Although Letting Go is a departure from the Christian focus of Knapp’s past, her spirituality remains  embedded in these lyrics and their story.  Knapp has journeyed further than most Christian artists, sharing her faith while sharing her life’s truths.  A Christian artist’s genius includes their faith and their personal experiences, in this way Knapp’s life and music are similar to the late Judie Sill’s message which was baked into her songs from her personal story.  Like all truly great artists, Knapp has grown, presenting in her art both her personal emotions and experiences – the mark of a truly great artist.

To the Knapp aficionado, Letting Go retains her long honed acoustic foundation while breaking away from folk rock with orchestral arrangements and adding new, raw electric rockers to the mix.  Whether a song of love or pain, raw emotional lyrics are found throughout the album. Knapp’s song writing remains strong , growing with more well rounded, personally defined offerings simplistic in message despite having an overall larger sound.  Although not strictly a Christian offering, Letting Go will appeal to a broader audience which is a disciple’s destination and focus.  This offering is very worthy of addition to your musical library.
 

http://www.jenniferknapp.com/
 

SS Mertens