- I'm Singing
- Healer
- Everyone Needs a Little
- Joyfully
- Beautiful
- My Beloved
- Singing Over Me
- No Sweeter Name
- Be Still
- Sweep Me Away
- Revelation Song
- You Are for Me
The average listener perhaps won't recognize the name Kari Jobe, but those who follow worship music closely know she's the singer behind "Revelation Song," the stirring anthem made popular by Gateway Church, the Texas congregation where Jobe serves as associate worship pastor.
That song—just like everything else Gateway touches—sounds huge, so it's a surprise that Jobe's self-titled debut sounds the way it does. As produced by the award-winning Ed Cash, Kari Jobe is much earthier—think Bethany Dillon, Laura Story, and a folksier Chris Tomlin.
Not coincidentally, Cash has worked with all of the above worshippers, and he makes sure Jobe's music gets a similar, gentle treatment. The placidness imbues the songs with an unobtrusive, almost easy-listening vibe—a night-and-day contrast from the bombastic, arena-sized worship Jobe has become known for.
Tracks like the easygoing "I'm Singing" and the breezy "Joyfully" work well as devotional pieces, inviting reflection as opposed to outward corporate singing. And so, Kari Jobe is more a listening album, inspiring little congregational participation.
As such, the rendition of "Revelation Song" included on the disc may disappoint some. Originally intended for Sunday morning glory, the three-stanza song calls for good use of dynamics, but this version takes its sweet time to truly take off—by the time it does, the track is already at the four-minute mark, with two more minutes to go.
But gentleness does not a bad album make. In spots, things are actually quite tender and inspirational, like in "My Beloved" and "You Are for Me," where piano and strings take center stage. Modern-worship enthusiasts or megachurchgoers may have precious little patience for these and other modesties, but for those who fancy quiet times and contemplation, Kari Jobe fits the bill.