Leanna Crawford “Still Waters” Album Review

Prime Cuts: For Heaven's Sake, Still Waters (Psalm 23), Jesus Is

Overall Grade: 4/5

Twenty-nine-year-old Leanna Crawford invests her life into her debut album "Still Waters." Whether it is being inspired by her 103-year-old great aunt or her recent marriage or her own personal struggles with doubts, these 14 songs have an extremely palatable diary-like frankness. Moreover, when listeners purchase the album (whether as a download or physical copies), part of the proceeds go to help the global non-profit organization charity, "Water." "Water's" goal is to provide clean and safe water to the 703 million people living without clean water today.

The album starts with a gem of a ballad. "For Heaven's Sake," a heartfelt plea for reconciliation, is packed with a punch, especially with lines such as Drop the hatred that we're holding/Let the perfect blood of Jesus/Wash it all away. More heart-wrenching moments come with the title cut, "Still Waters (Psalm 23)." The song was inspired by Crawford's Great-Aunt Maurine, who lived to be 103. In her 40s, Great-Aunt Maurine learned that she was going blind. She decided to memorize as much of the Bible as possible before her sight left her. This Godly legacy has so impacted Crawford's life that she reminds us in the song to write scripture, particularly Psalm 23, in our hearts.

More life moments come with the pop-centric "How Can You Not." Dealing with her struggles with God, the song finds a confident Crawford affirming God's omnipresence. "Simple," as the titular suggests, is a rustic endeavor exploring the simplicity of trusting Jesus. Quickly becoming a signature song of Crawford is "Jesus Is." Giving exposition to how Jesus is far more gracious, mighty, and merciful than our expectations, the song blasts away all the limitations we place around our Lord. This ballad deserves to be on repeat.

"Vowed to Be Yours," a song Crawford wrote for her NBA player husband Cody Zeller at their wedding reception, is filled with many great romantic lines. However, the song's confining melody needs more room for her bombastic display of words. Then, with songs like "Before I Knew Jesus," "I Know a Place," and "Both Sides," Crawford falls into the world of recycled CCM tropes. Nevertheless, "Still Waters" is still a promising debut record that contains many slices of life, wisdom, and truth, loving lived out by Crawford.

 

 

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