Artist: Meredith Andrews
Album: As Long As It Takes
Year: 2010
Label: Word Records
Website: http://www.meredithandrews.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/meredithandrewsband
Twitter: @MereMusic
Buy: iTunes - Amazon - Official Store
Sounds Like: Darlene Zschech, Laura Story, Brooke Fraser, Natalie Grant, Nichole Nordeman, Bethany Dillon
Rating: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥

In April 2007, Meredith Andrews surprised us with a debut that marked a prominent and successful future. This year the return of this musical prodigy is entitled “As Long As It Takes”, with the production of Jason Ingram and Rusty Varenkamp (Bebo Norman, Aaron Shust, Tenth Avenue North). Continuing with the support of Word Records, with 5 hit singles to which we add the recent “Can Anybody Hear Me”, Dove Award nominations and the influence of new experiences with people she has known in her daily journal, this new album combines the power and passion of her wonderful voice with her heart for God and the people he met on the road.

The album opens with “Never Move On” with piano and harmonies stating that being in the presence of God, there is nothing that can move out from there: “To the cross I will run for all my Savior has done / I will stay here, never move on / No other moment in time, so glorious so divine / I will stay here, never move on”. Continuing with flavored pop/rock, “Only To Be Yours” is inspired by Psalm 86. Meredith shares his inspiration behind this song:  “You’ve heard that quote ‘the problem with living with sacrifices is they crawl off the altar’. That’s what I was thinking when I started the song because I can be so scattered sometimes. I wanted to just say ‘Lord just take everything that I am, just everything’ and the next day I have to do it all over again because I’m trying to live independent of the Lord. I’m trying to do it in my own strength. In reality I need God’s grace. I need to allow the Lord to guide me and I want to stay on the altar. I want to be broken. I want to stay broken in that place where I don’t get so busy and I don’t get so distracted that everything crowds out the voice of the Lord. I want to hear his voice more clearly”. Really inspiring. Next, the first single “Can Anybody Hear Me?” Is a ballad that shows the great vocal potential and a more personal aspect on the composition of the album. Questioning the apparent silence of God in the face of suffering: “Can anybody hear me? / The silence is deafening / Why do You feel so far away? / When I know You’re here with me / But I just need faith to see / Nothing can separate me from Your love”. The vulnerable and honest “As Long As It Takes” shows us the experience of Andrews with the pressure of songwriting: “I’m tired, do I have to keep proving myself / I’m weary and drawing from and empty well / I need You more than I ever have / So Jesus come and shatter my darkness somehow”. The poignant “Come Home” was written by his brother, and not only expresses the unconditional love of a loving sister, but also the mercy and grace of our eternal Father. The strings and the guitars are submerged on the bridge: “You’re not a disappointment to me / You’re just like the rest of us / Struggling through the journey / I don’t care what secrets you may keep / I could never love you less / Than all the love inside of me”. Sweets pianos interfere in “All Will Fade Away”, while Andrews’s voice shines in all its glory through those wrenching melodies, which are built up to a moment of silence: “Caught up, caught up with You my Jesus / Caught up caught up with You forever / In love in love with You my Jesus / In love in love with You forever”. After his return from an orphanage in Haiti, Andrews met a 6-year-old boy called McKinsley. “He was HIV positive, but the way he loved, it changed my life” confesses Andrews. The chorus of “What It Means To Love” is absolutely captivating: “So how could I go back to life as usual / And how could I return to who I once was / I just want to take your story to the world / ‘Cause you have shown me what it means to love”. The pop beat and synthesizers come with “Live Through Me” and a tireless piano that gives God control of our lives, to fill the gaps in our hearts and to show His glory: “Oh to speak and to hear You speaking / Oh to breathe and to feel Your breath in me / To love like a fire burning / All consuming Father live through me”. Immediately we find “My Soul Sings”, who in the same manner as the previous track, was written with Stu Garrard of Delirious?. It is the song of our soul to see the beauty of our creator: “Infinite God, Intimate Friend / Your love endures, it never ends / Then sings my soul / My soul must sing / Of all You are to me”. The dazzling “In Your Arms”, was co-written by Jared Anderson of Desperation Band, and we can even hear his voice in the chorus. The lyrics gives control to God despite our fears and our walking on darkness: “And I’m in Your arms / Where I belong / There’s no other place for me / Than right where You are / Some things just don’t change / When I call Your name / You never hesitate to wrap me in endless grace / When I’m in Your arms”. At the end of this serenade, we find “How Great Is The Love” with the participation of veteran Paul Baloche, a hymn of gratitude for the wonderful work of salvation: “Thank You for the way that You love us”.

It’s complicated to give a verdict on this album. But we can take into account the fact that Meredith Andrews has written most of her own songs, has defined most strongly her sound and because of that, the album has become more personal and enjoyable. I waited a couple of weeks to review “As Long As It Takes”, and the inspiration it has given me is inexplicable, fascinating.

En abril del 2007, Meredith Andrews nos sorprendía con un debut que marcaba un prominente y futuro éxito. Este año el retorno de este prodigio musical se titula “As Long As It Takes”, con la producción de Jason Ingram y Rusty Varenkamp (Bebo Norman, Aaron Shust, Tenth Avenue North). Siguiendo con el apoyo de Word Records, con 5 exitosos sencillos al que se le suman el reciente “Can Anybody Hear Me”, nominaciones a los premios Dove y la influencia de nuevas experiencias con la gente que ha conocido en su jornada, este nuevo disco combina el poder y la pasión de su maravillosa voz con su corazón por Dios y la gente que encontró en el camino.

El álbum se apertura con “Never Move On”, con pianos y armonías declaran que al estar en la presencia de Dios, no hay nada que nos pueda mover de ahí: “To the cross I will run for all my Savior has done / I will stay here, never move on / No other moment in time, so glorious so divine / I will stay here, never move on”. Continuando con sazonado pop/rock, “Only To Be Yours” se inspira en el Salmo 86. Meredith nos comparte su inspiración detrás de esta canción: “Debes haber oído esta cita ‘el problema de vivir con sacrificios es que se arrastran sobre el altar’. Eso es lo que estaba pensando cuando comencé la canción, porque a veces puedo ser muy desordenada. Quería decir simplemente: ‘Señor solamente toma todo lo que soy, todo’ y al día siguiente tenía que hacerlo otra vez porque estaba intentando vivir independiente del Señor. Estoy tratando de hacerlo en mi propia fuerza. En realidad necesito la gracia de Dios. Tengo que dejar que el Señor me guíe y me quiero quedar en el altar. Quiero ser quebrado. Quiero permanecer quebrado en aquel lugar donde no estoy tan ocupada y no me siento distraída con la voz de la multitud. Quiero escuchar su voz con más claridad”. Realmente inspirador. Seguidamente, el primer sencillo del álbum “Can Anybody Hear Me?”, es una balada que muestra el gran potencial vocal y la faceta más personal en la composición del álbum. Cuestionando el aparente silencio de Dios en el rostro del dolor: “Can anybody hear me? / The silence is deafening / Why do You feel so far away? / When I know You’re here with me / But I just need faith to see / Nothing can separate me from Your love”. La vulnerable y honesta “As Long As It Takes” nos muestra la experiencia de Andrews con la presión de componer canciones: “I’m tired, do I have to keep proving myself / I’m weary and drawing from and empty well / I need You more than I ever have / So Jesus come and shatter my darkness somehow”. La conmovedora “Come Home” fue escrita por su hermano, y no sólo expresa el amor incondicional de una hermana cariñosa, sino también la misericordia y gracia de nuestro Padre eterno. Los strings y las guitarras se sumergen la el puente: “You’re not a disappointment to me / You’re just like the rest of us / Struggling through the journey / I don’t care what secrets you may keep / I could never love you less / Than all the love inside of me”. Dulces pianos se inmiscuyen en “All Will Fade Away”, mientras que la voz de Andrews brilla en todo su esplendor a través de aquellas desgarradoras melodías, que van construyéndose hasta llegar a un momento de silencio: “Caught up, caught up with You my Jesus / Caught up caught up with You forever / In love in love with You my Jesus / In love in love with You forever”. Luego de su retorno de un orfanato en Haití, Andrews conoció a un  niño de 6 años llamado McKinsley. “Él era VIH positivo, pero la manera que él amaba, me cambió la vida”, nos confiesa Andrews. El coro de “What It Means To Love” es totalmente cautivador: “So how could I go back to life as usual / And how could I return to who I once was / I just want to take your story to the world / ‘Cause you have shown me what it means to love”. El pop beat y los sintetizadores llegan con “Live Through Me” y un incansable piano que le entrega el control a Dios de nuestras vidas, que llene los vacíos de nuestro corazón y que muestre su gloria: “Oh to speak and to hear You speaking / Oh to breathe and to feel Your breath in me / To love like a fire burning / All consuming Father live through me”. Inmediatamente nos encontramos con “My Soul Sings”, quién de la misma manera que el track anterior, fue escrita junto a Stu Garrard de Delirious?. Es el canto de nuestro ser al ver la belleza de nuestro creador: “Infinite God, Intimate Friend / Your love endures, it never ends / Then sings my soul / My soul must sing / Of all You are to me”. La deslumbrante “In Your Arms”, fue co-escrita con Jared Anderson de Desperation Band, e incluso podemos oír su voz en el coro. La letra le entrega el control a Dios a pesar de nuestros medios y la oscuridad en que caminamos: “And I’m in Your arms / Where I belong / There’s no other place for me / Than right where You are / Some things just don’t change / When I call Your name / You never hesitate to wrap me in endless grace / When I’m in Your arms”. Al final de esta serenata, hallamos a “How Great Is The Love” con la participación del veterano Paul Baloche, en un himno de agradecimiento por la magnífica obra de salvación:“Thank You for the way that You love us”. 

Es algo complicado dar un veredicto a este disco. Pero podemos tener en cuenta el hecho que Meredith Andrews ha compuesto la mayoría de sus propias canciones, ha definido con más intensidad su sonido y debido a ello, el álbum se ha tornado más personal y agradable. Estuve esperando un par de semanas hasta reseñar “As Long As It Takes”, y la inspiración que me ha regalado es inexplicable, apasionante.