It seems you have start with the accolades, so let's get them out of the way: multiple Dove awards and nominations, GMA's New Artist of the Year, 1999 summer Lilith Fair tour, blah, blah, blah. Let's just say she's been well received--and with good reason. On to the music.
This Kansas native offers introspective acoustic based music with a bit of an edge. Overall I found Lay It Down to be a fairly diverse collection of gems. The album features a variety of arrangements and tempos that keep songs from drifting into one another. She blends blues, folk, and rock into a mix that's… well… pleasing. You want to curl up with the liner notes and listen to the whole album.
A few things help accomplish that, one being the instrumentation and production. Jennifer Knapp's acoustic guitar is often accompanied with a mix of either electric guitar, organs, strings, or even a mandolin. Add to that a diverse range of tempos, from upbeat rock to earthy praise. Finally there's Knapp's writing which is personal but not always obvious. The result is good music.
The album starts with 'A Little More, a rising song about the grace we don't deserve. 'Usher Me Down' slows things down with a peaceful, reverberating chorus. 'Into You' is the edgiest song on the album, calling for God to "relieve me from myself, bring me into You." 'All Consuming Fire' is the praise song that defies expectations--it questions how God can love us, which prompts us to worship. But the song never rises above its humble percussion to be the echoing praise anthem you'd expect--which is a nice change. The mandolin brings a unique sound to 'Diamond in the Rough' and 'When Nothing Satisfies.'
Unfortunately, I don't think the album has an edgy, gritty rocker quite as fun as 'Undo Me,' but a sophomore album isn't about recreating the success of the first album. Knapp is moving forward with Lay It Down, and the result makes you want to sit back and listen.
Other coverage for this album
The Rebel Base 2001Reviewed by Josh HurstJennifer Knapp has gained substantial popularity and respect in Christian music circles, and for good reason. As she proves on Lay it Down, her sophomore album, Knapp is both a capable guitarist and a captivating vocalist. Not to mention a pretty good song writer. "A Little More" is a great example of the latter. Ms. Knapp's lyrics are personal, yet they ably express the universal truth of God's…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Josh MarihughPicture: A young woman sits in a darkened corner, her acoustic guitar resting across her knees, singing her heart out to her God. Picture: That same young woman steps to the front of a stage, and with amps blasting behind her, wails a love song to her Lord. These two pictures, and a few somewhere in between, are what make Jennifer Knapp who she is, and make her music what it is. After Knapp's…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by James StewartSituating herself at the pop-end of the acoustic music which has sprung up in the wake of the alt. country movement, Jennifer Knapp has produced an unusually earthy album for the Christian market. Knapp's music would sit well with fans of writers such as Sheryl Crow, but the album is unfortunately lacking obvious singles to take her to Crow's audience. As a whole, however, it is a self-assured…Similar sounding releases
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