BEC Recordings
Released September 28 2010
Reviewed By Tyler Hess
There was once a man with a contemplative look in his face. As he sat there in the coffee shop, mug in his hand, staring out the window with his pickup truck in view, he longed for something more. Then he got past the album cover art and there were songs about his thoughts, ten of them in fact, so Bebo Norman is sharing these thoughts in what we call an “album” of his “recordings” named “Ocean”.
Ocean starts off with the contemporary Christian folk rock singer’s search for God and the result of finding that in Him is “Everything I Hoped You’d Be”. Not content with playing it safe (in life, lyrically this is about as safe as it gets) Bebo Norman declares that you “Gotta Reach for something or you’ll fall for anything / Take a breath, take a step, what comes next God only knows” in the second track, “Here Goes”. Taking to the keyboard, “God of My Everything” displays the strength and immutability of our God. Picking at the guitar, “Could You Ever Look At Me” is a delicately honest song written to his wife about his weakness. ”We Fall Apart” talks about the difficulties in life and how they lead us back to God so that He can save us and give us life. The title track continues the overtly graphic and scenery based lyrics with the idea of the hugeness and wonder that is found in God as Bebo Norman declares “I’m drowning in your love / Not coming up / I’m not coming up / Cause you’re all I ever want”. Slowing it down for some more folksy stuff, “The Middle” was written for those looking for meaning in life. The album closes with a couple of slower, meditative tracks, with “I Hope You See Jesus” (co-written with Laura Story) and “Remember Us”.
If you’re looking for some contemplative folk rock about water and it’s relation to God and man, then oh boy we have found the album for you! You’ll get a little guitar action, a little key action and a whole bunch of reflection.
Grade: B-
Tracklisting:
- Everything I Hoped You’d Be
- Here Goes
- God of My Everything
- Could You Ever Look At Me
- We Fall Apart
- Ocean
- Sing Over Me
- The Middle
- I Hope You See Jesus
- Remember Us
