Artist:  Todd Agnew
Title:  Better Questions
Label:  Ardent/INO

In this era of digital singles and exclusive downloads, it’s not often that an artist releases a CD containing more than 10 or 12 tracks. But on his third solo release, Better Questions, Texas-bred singer/songwriter Todd Agnew unfurls 16 songs that span the gamut from praise & worship to R&B to straight-ahead rock & roll.

While his gritty baritone style may be an acquired taste for some listeners, there’s no denying that Agnew pours his heart and soul into his craft. Nowhere is this evidenced more than on rollicking, Johnny Cash-esque cut “Still Has a Hold,” riff-fueled number “Least of These” and sonorous rocker “War Inside.”

Among the set’s brightest moments is string-tinged praise & worship duet “Our Great God,” which finds Agnew harnessing his vocal timbre alongside gifted songstress Rebecca St. James. By the time you read this review, the anthem will likely be in heavy rotation at Christian radio.
 
Known as an artist with a proclivity for weighty lyrics, Agnew continues that inclination here, though this time he confesses up front that he has “better questions than . . . answers.” He should be commended for raising provocative queries like “If You wanted me to be like You/Why did You make me like me?” These are questions sure to spark meaningful dialogue among believers.

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