Picture: 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 debut disc, people were comparing her to seemingly every other singer/songwriter with even a hint of attitude in her music, from Alanis Morissette to Sheryl Crow. The principal problem with comparing Jennifer Knapp to anybody is that those to whom Knapp is being compared invariably pale beside her.
Knapp sings with pure passion: no breathy, ethereal vocals here, just an incredibly strong wall of voice. The heaviest song on the album, and thus closest to my heart, is "Into You."
I wanna know You
Better than I do
Relieve me from myself, bring me into You
Lyrically, the entire album stays in this same vein. It's all about one person, who wants more than anything to know and touch the Almighty God.
Alpha and Omega
Prince of Peace
O, my King of Kings
The Great I Am, Jehovah Jireh
Who cares for me
The Holy One, the Holy Father of the Blessed Trinity
All Consuming Fire, burn in me
(From "All Consuming Fire")
Knapp duets with one of the godmothers of Christian rock music, Margaret Becker, on "When Nothing Satisfies," a song which alternates the cry of one whose sole desire is God, with the words of God: "When nothing satisfies you, hold My hand."
The only misstep here, if it can even be called that, is Knapp's cover of Shawn Colvin's "Diamond in the Rough." It's not that Knapp doesn't have the vocal authority to pull it off; it just seems out of place with the worship of the rest of the album. Making the song fit requires some lyrical re-interpretation.
But, that's a small gripe indeed, given the rest of the album. Simple, passionate, and powerful, but a bit too short at only 36 minutes. More, please!
4.5 tocks
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…ReAL Magazine 2000Reviewed by Kevin D. HendricksIt 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…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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