God Speaking

Sounds like … Michael W. Smith, Scott Krippayne, Jon McLaughlin, Jared Anderson, and other tunesmiths with a thing for AC piano-popAt a glance … God Speaking is a little too commonplace considering that it was five years in the making, but it's a satisfying follow-up nonethelessTrack Listing Breakaway Fight God Speaking My Inheritance Love the Light The Other Side Winter No Changing That Get There Sober Me The Only Thing

Back in 2002, Ronnie Freeman was poised to become the next big thing on Rocketown Records, which successfully introduced singer/songwriters like Chris Rice, Ginny Owens, and Shaun Groves. Naturally, label boss Michael W. Smith was a fan, and his endorsement of the newcomer at that time was nothing short of glowing: "Ronnie Freeman reminds me of me a decade ago." Not quite. That would have put Freeman at the Change Your World phase—the height of Smitty's success.

The hype didn't help, as Ronnie Freeman ultimately fell through the cracks. The singer/songwriter left Rocketown, took up residence as a worship leader in a Nashville-area church, and slowly began laying the groundwork for God Speaking, an independent effort released through indie giant KOCH. (And if the album's title song rings a bell, it's because it was also recorded by American Idol finalist Mandisa.)

Considering that the disc has been more than five years in the making, things haven't changed much since we last heard from Freeman. He's still an adult contemporary vocalist with a predilection for soaring piano-pop and catchy choruses. Vocally, he's expressive and emotive, particularly during the ballads, which benefit most from Freeman's sensitive croon. When the song calls for it, Freeman can also turn in a fierce vocal, as in the hard-hitting "Breakaway," a call to leave one's inadequacies behind.

Everything is written, sung, and produced serviceably, so much so that it can become difficult to distinguish God Speaking from the majority of other AC pop acts on the Christian music radar. For that reason, it's no wonder the album works best at its most tender, as in the stark "The Other Side," the honest-to-God "Sober Me," and the confessional "The Only Thing," all songs that prove that there's more nuance and depth to Freeman than his more conventional, radio-friendly side lets on.