Never Picture Perfect Review

The hype says Rich Mullins is a poet for the common man. While that does in fact turn out to be true, I believe he is the poet for the uncommon man as well. He reaches deep within himself and exposes feeling everyone can relate to. Last year's Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth was a strong album. Never Picture Perfect is an even better one. Here is the voice of a man who has found himself, found his God, and found a big world in need of mercy.

Mullins is keenly and personally aware of the brokenness in our world ("I Will Sing," "While the Nations Rage," "Bound to Come Some Trouble") but is able to praise God for His goodness ("Hope to Carry On," "Alrightokuhuhamen," "The Love of God") and sees God's mercy applied in the everyday world more clearly than in spectacular "sign" miracles ("First Family").

Sometimes Mullins' music sounds a bit derivitave to me, but that's easy to forgive because he brings back all the feelings I had when I first found Christian music, the excitement of music that articulated my faith and it's working out in my life. Never Pitcure Perfect is a great album. It's what Christian music is supposed to be all about.



Copyright 1990 by CCM Magazine

Thanks go to Eric Townsend and his webpage,
Rich Mullins: Never Picture Perfect, for sharing this article with COYN.

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