Anthony Brown and group therAPy - Everyday Jesus

Artist: Anthony Brown and group therAPy

Formats: CD, MP3

Release date: July 18, 2015

For some, the Lord is experienced through songs that make them shout; for others, quiet introspection leads them to Grace. Musician, vocalist, and songwriter Anthony Brown understands this about his audience. On his sophomore release, Everyday Jesus, Brown—along with the angelic voices of his choir, group therAPy, and his outstanding band—provides a pallet of musical offerings with a single intention: to bring listeners closer to the Lord.

The first-half of Everyday Jesus is full of high-energy praise. “I Am (Miracle)”—a gospel classic in the making—features a danceable chorus reminiscent of EDM and a strong message to non-believers: if you want to know the miracle of Jesus, just look at me. “What He’s Done (I’m the One)” is an up-tempo nod to down-home church. The second half of Everyday Jesus features a more-subtle musical approach. “Without You” opens with the hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” beautifully interpreted by singer Shirley Dailey, and “The Same” features a memorable pentatonic melody accompanied by nuanced rhythmic accompaniment. Taken together, Everyday Jesus is a highly-inclusive release.

One of the results of this inclusivity is commercial success. The album has already reached #1 on Billboard’s gospel music charts and the album’s single, “Worth,” holds steady at #2 on Billboard’s Gospel airplay and Gospel digital songs charts at the time of this writing. Brown’s success also has to do with the way that he understands his relationship with the Lord. For Brown, a relationship with Jesus is not one of separation, but is a quotidian relationship—hence, the album’s title is Everyday Jesus. For his listeners, the album serves as a therapeutic musical testimony of how near God can be as we move through our everyday lives.

Everyday Jesus is a strong performance and full of anointing. This release is destined to bring Anthony Brown’s talent as a singer, songwriter, and bandleader to the heights—and perhaps even the canon—of contemporary gospel music.

Listen on Spotify here.

Reviewed by Douglas Dowling Peach