Inhale (Exhale)

With their tenth studio album inhale (exhale), Christian rock institution MercyMe turn in one of their most ambitious and wide-ranging sets to date. The long-awaited album follows 2017s Lifer, and while the band continue their embrace of a variety of styles and approaches to their devotional songs, the sharper production and more overt nods to genre make the material on inhale (exhale) more defined and high-impact than previous albums. Some of the strongest examples of this are the sunshiny pop of A Little Love, featuring guest vocals from Rascal Flatts lead vocalist Gary LeVox, and the precise disco groove of Brand New, which features a verse from disco legend Gloria Gaynor. These songs are set beside the Black Keys-esque blues-rock stomp of Blessed, the feel-good melodic hooks of Hurry Up and Wait, Auto-Tuned choruses on Almost Home, and yearning, cinematic balladry on The Moment. MercyMe explores different expressions throughout the album, but ties them all together with messages of faith and hope, and the sense of euphoric joy that flows throughout most of the songs. With a 16-song track list that spans a 48-minute running time, inhale (exhale) offers perspectives on spirituality that swing from the personal to the communal. ~ Fred Thomas