The Herald Bulletin

Evening Update

Entertainment

In concert

MercyMe will perform in The Rock & Worship Roadshow set for 6 p.m. on Feb. 9 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Also on the bill: Jeremy Camp, Tedashi, Kutless, Family Force 5, Luminate, Rhett Walker Band and Adam Cappa and Tim Timmons. Tickets are $10 at the door.For information, visit www.therockandworshiproadshow.com.

Related Photos

  • "The Hurt & The Healer"

    FEA - HB0208 - a5 MercyMe - SM.jpg

Discussion

February 7, 2013

Ear Shot: MercyMe, The Hurt & The Healer

Reviewed by Scott L. Miley The Herald Bulletin

Rating: 3 of 4

MercyMe comes out swinging on its seventh studio disc, “The Hurt & The Healer.” Most of the battles, though, are against personal suffering and guilt.

The soft gliding title track demonstrates the band’s brand of enlightenment. Over musical Kings of Leon touches, lead singer Bart Milloard bares a confession:  “So here I am. What’s left of me/Where Glory meets my suffering.” In these kind of moments, MercyMe captures the delicate balance between failure and redemption. “Hold On” sets a tranquil beauty atop a mountain, “And the world you find makes you catch your breath.”

Among the best, “You Don’t Care at All,” pumps out a title chorus that has all the power of dropping a girlfriend until we quickly realize that it’s God who doesn’t care about past mistakes — it’s a nice pop trick.

There’s lightness among the cries for salvation. “To Whom It May Concern’ longs for audience participation — and gets it — from all those who have tumbled along the path: “We’re not throwing stones ....Oh oh oh You can’t go alone. Hey hey hey We won’t go away.”

Text Only
Entertainment