Kelly Mack

Kelly Mack’s voice gives me goosebumps. It chills me. The clear, pure sound of her voice commands my attention. When she sings, I listen. The sound that emits when Mack opens her mouth to sing enters my ears but reaches my heart, and I am brought to my knees. I am brought to my knees because Mack’s music communicates the overwhelming majesty, grace, and redemption of God and I am left in awe of His being.

Why am I surprised that a single woman could bring me to a point in my worship of God that I have not been often enough in all the years of my Christian walk? Christian music is supposed to transcend the boundaries we’ve created in our minds about God’s character and bring us to a place where we are better able to lift praises to Him. And yet, oftentimes, Christian artists miss the mark with their music. Mack is one of the few on the edge. In her debut album, Take Me with You, she has effectively combined thought-provoking lyrics with poignant melodies that accent the words she has so creatively crafted.

In his book The Intimate Mystery, Dan B. Allender writes, “…a conversation doesn’t have to be about God to be about God.” In other words, when God is at the center of our intentions, He infiltrates various aspects of our lives, including our words. If Kelly Mack was to take the specific God-centered language out of her songs, I believe that the heart and message of her music would remain because it is so ingrained in what she is trying to accomplish. Mack’s conversation with her listeners is about God’s greatness, His glory, but is also about the intimate relationship we have with Him as Christians, and that comes across from the very first note.

Mack’s music is simple and serves as a fitting backdrop for her music. Her melodies invite reflection and outpouring. Her lyrics borrow from the Scriptures, but fashion a new and unique perspective. She is guilty of a few clichéd images and phrases along the way (“Nothing Can Compare” and “Call My Name”) but overall, she has written brilliant songs that bring to light Biblical messages. Her song “One Last Time” is probably the first song written from Jesus’ mother Mary’s perspective that I have truly enjoyed and has prompted a heart-tugging reaction in me.

The best example of Mack’s talent is the track “Complete.” A simple acoustic guitar arrangement accompanies Mack’s pleasant voice as her lyrics reflect on God’s goodness. Her lyrics borrow from Scripture, but express the message behind the words in a new way: “…And you give good things to me / You’re faithful / And you make my life complete / I’m complete / You give me hope / And I can start a new day / Its your hope that brings me the sun / And takes all the clouds away / You give me faith / That you’ll answer when I pray / There is no doubt in my mind / That you’ll do all the things that you say….”

Mack’s voice has been likened to Dido, Sia, Enya, and Allison Kraus. Her voice does definitely hold that same clear, pure sound yet with a softness at the edges. Her voice sits well on the ear. Her music is technically pop, but has more of a bluegrass, coffeehouse sound to it—much like a slow melodic version of the band Nickel Creek without the violins.

I would have enjoyed it if her album balanced the upbeat-versus-introspective-tempo aspects of her songs better; the introspective outweighed the upbeat. It was with the upbeat melodies that Mack’s lyrics began to become slightly clichéd, but with time and experience, I believe that she will overcome that. With the release of her first album days away, I’m sure Mack isn’t focusing her attention on her sophomore album quite yet. When she does, I hope she’ll take a few risks and not always rely on God-specific language. I would love to see what she can do if she took down that restriction; my gut instinct is that if anyone could creatively and uniquely convey the message of God’s love without using the conventional standards, it would be Kelly Mack.

Tagged as: Kelly Mack, Take Me With You

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