Michael O'Brien

Item: Conviction
Author: Tim Sharpe

Conviction

(1996)

Reviewed by Tim Sharpe

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Label Benson Music GroupThe LighthouseJune 1996

adult contemporary ccm pop

1995 was a big year for Michael O'Brien. He released his outstanding debut project, toured with such big acts as NewSong, Mark Lowry, and Cindy Morgan, and released four Top 10 singles. The crowning achievement of this big year must have been obtaining a nomination for New Artist of the Year Dove Award (sure, there was no way he'd beat Jars of Clay, but...). He has released his sophomore album, Conviction, right after the Doves, as his musical career is garnering more attention.

The thing that's always ticked me off about Benson is how so many of their artists sound alike. Musically, there is little difference between NewSong's People Get Ready, East to West's North Of The Sky, Al Denson's Do You Know This Man?, 4 Him's The Ride, and O'Brien's self-titled debut. Here, O'Brien spreads his musical horizons a bit more, though not enough to be anything really new. I'm not saying that this is a bad album; it's just rather plain. Another thing that's kind of odd is that O'Brien's voice sounds different on this album. It's a little lower and has more fullness to it. In fact, I'd say he now sounds strangely like yet another Benson artist, Larnelle Harris.

O'Brien continues to write all his own music, and maintains the strength shown on his debut. He also writes more of his own lyrics on this project. In fact, he co-wrote the lyrics on four of the songs, two of them with the lyricist from his first album, Regie Hamm. One of the songs on this project, "All Is Forgiven," appears to have been cut at the last minute from his debut. It's a really good gospel tune, and is one of the highlights of Conviction.

One of the most lyrically original pop songs I've heard in a while kicks off the project. "If I Said Nothing," co-written by O'Brien and Grant Cunningham, is a rather typical upbeat pop song, musically. It's got a really good tempo, and great blends of piano by Michael Omartian, B3 work by Blair Masters, and guitars by Glenn Pierce. But, like I said, the power behind this song is not the music, but the lyrics, which are a thought provoking twist on the old cliché "walk the talk."

I could preach you a sermon, hoping you would agree But in my silence would you see Christ in me? ...If I said nothing what would it say to you? If I testified by living the proof. . . What would my life say to you If I said nothing at all

Another great tune, which is strong both lyrically and musically, is "And The Story Goes On," which speaks of the Gospel being passed on through time, and continuing to be passed on. Musically, it's a rather typical radio-ready power ballad without the electric guitar solo, but it's still a great song. I might even go so far as to call it the next "If Ever I Forget" (from his debut album).

There's so much good stuff in this album that I could blab on and on about most of the songs. It's not quite as good as his debut, but I expected that. O'Brien's debut was one of the best projects in pop music since Michael W. Smith's Change Your World (my all-time favorite pop album). The amount of growth that O'Brien has shown in this release also brings the promise of even better music in his future. This album should have a wider appeal than the first project, with gospel, jazz, and a lot of great ballads. This is probably one of the best pop albums I've heard so far this year.