Todd Agnew - Better Questions
Producer: Todd Agnew & John Hampton
Todd Agnew stormed onto the Christian Music scene not long ago with the instant hit singles like “Grace Like Rain” and “This Fragile Breath”. His bluesy take on rock was an immediate among listeners of all kinds, and Agnew quickly became a household name with fans of Christian music. His sophomore outing, Reflection of Something wasn’t regarded quite as highly with critics - but both radio and fans continued to flock to the artist. His Christmas album last year, Do You See What I See?, was very hit and miss, and many people don’t quite know what to expect out of Better Questions - the latest for Agnew on INO Records. Well, the answer isn’t necessarily cut and dry. Agnew continues in his familiar vein of bluesy rock ‘n roll - though nothing is quite as big or grand as past anthems like “This Fragile Breath”. Musically, it’s a lot of the same old-same old here - steady rock with a handful of stand-out moments - such as the country-rock of “Still Has a Hold” - a surprisingly strong cut from the singer/songwriter. Also, notable highlights like the funk-infused “Family” and bluesy “Peace On Earth” make for some interesting moments on the recording. However, Agnew’s voice doesn’t hold up well on ballads like “Martyr’s Song” and “On a Corner In Memphis” - and those songs tend to grate after a while. Lyrically, Better Questions definitely stands up well compared to past efforts - focusing on everything from hypocrisy in the church ("Lovers In Our Heads"), the power of words ("Don’t Say a Word"), God’s calling on our lives ("One a Corner of Memphis"), and the album highlight that questions human nature ("If You Wanted Me To"). The album tends to run especially long (around 70 minutes), and Agnew’s voice is hard on the ears for so long, especially on the ballads. “Our Great God”, while one of my favorite songs of the past 10 years, is a huge mis-step here, even with the inclusion of Rebecca St. James. Overall, it’s possible that Better Questions is Agnew’s finest record to date. He asks the right questions and has some really fine musical moments as well.
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I listen to the Better Questions Album every morning and I can never get tired of Todd Agnew’s voice. I personally love his ballad “On a corner in Memphis.” There is not a song on this album that I can not relate to and appreciate. Keep up the great work Todd!