"Smart pop-rock".  Those were the first words I heard used to describe Brandon Heath's debut album, Don't Get Comfortable.  Some would say that "smart pop-rock" is an oxymoron.  And while that may be a little harsh, I suspect many of us have thought the same at one point or another.  Is it possible to have smart pop-rock?  Let's find out!

Musically, Don't Get Comfortable begins with a solid foundation of guitar.  While piano features on a few songs, Brandon's guitar eventually takes center stage on every song.  And those songs?  Most of the songs possess some solid hooks, making it easy for one to end up singing along after only one listen.  And yes, there is plenty of material for radio stations to choose for their playlists.

Yet there is enough variety musically to make Brandon Heath more than just another forgettable radio artist.  For instance, on the title track, claps are used as a regular percussive instrument.  Upon seeing this in the credits prior to listening, I was worried the clapping would stand out.  It's been done before, and more often than not the clapping seems to distract from the rest of the song.  On "Don't Get Comfortable", though, the production and mixing have been done in such a way that the handclaps fit seamlessly, just like another instrument. 

Or consider the artist's smash radio hit, "I'm Not Who I Was".  After hearing a number of rockers and then a couple of slower songs, "I'm Not Who I Was" opens with a some refreshing fingerpicking that takes the album to the right place-a sort of middle ground that serves as a bridge between the rock that opens the album and the slower songs that come right before.

So, yes, this is pop-rock, but pop-rock done in an original way.  But lyrically?  Speaking to that, Heath's website, quotes the artist as he relates, "When I listen to a song, I really want the lyrics to actually mean something..."  If you are looking for meaning in lyrics, this is the place to find it.

The album opens with "Steady Now", co-written with Ben Glover.  This song is clearly written for the church, challenging us to the freedom of true confession, and then to hold each other up during and after confession.  This is a message the church needs to hear.  This is a message I need to hear.  We need to be a place people can confess and then be held up to live a better life, as opposed to tearing down those who need our help to overcome sin.  This is the clear message behind "Steady Now", yet it's written in such a non-condescending way that the listener is challenged to take up the cause.  Can you imagine how the church's life might be different if confession, healing and accountability took place in the "safe harbor" that the church ought to be?

Another jewel is "Our God Reigns".  This is perhaps the best praise song I have heard in a long, long time.  After I first heard the song, I found myself wanting to play the song in worship the following week at church.  Why is the song so effective?  It's because the focus of the song is God.  The chorus declares:

Our God reigns over the heavens
Over the earth, Our God reigns
Praise His name, all still standing
All that was, all that remains
Our God reigns

The chorus almost sounds like something that the book of Revelation says we will be singing to God in Heaven.  God has done so much for us; we cannot help but praise him for it.  My favorite Brandon Heath lyric is in this song.  Brandon refers to God as the "Breaker of sin, Winner of souls".  That, in a nutshell, is why our God reigns and why he deserves all our praises.

The praises could go on and on.  How can I best describe Brandon Heath's music?  "Smart pop-rock".  Yes, it's possible.  Brandon Heath's Don't Get Comfortable has proven that.  With this stellar major-label debut, I can't wait to see how God is going to use Brandon Heath in the future.

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