No more Wondering…he’s still got it.
 
Can he still do it?  Can, as some call, the father of contemporary Christian music, still dive into his personal well and create and produce relevant music?  No one questions Michael W. Smith’s ability to lead worship, either at his own church, or at an outdoor stadium.  But can this man, whom a small tribe actually call “Grandpa”, still deliver an original project without a live audience, that is fresh and connectable.  The answer is a resounding yes!
 
Michael’s latest LP, Wonder, delivers on all accounts what we’ve come to expect on a Smitty project, and even decides to take an unexpected risk near the close.  Wonder kicks off with its only cover, Carpark North’s Save Me From Myself, that leaves one shaking their head as it sounds so much like something Michael would have written himself.  Perhaps that’s why he loves it, as well as other creations from Carpark, so much.
 
You Take My Breath Away follows, and it continues a heavy keyboard pop-like trend, very familiar from early Smitty projects like Go West Young Man and This is Your Time – coincidently, all co-produced by Bryan Lenox.
 
However, the next two songs, Run To You and I’ll Wait For You, show a different musical influence, as his trusted keyboard is replaced with various guitars, and Michael’s Irish friends - that are probably the world’s most popular band – show that they are still finding their way to this artist’s iPod.  Run is a particularly stirring song, that begs the listener to following Michael’s lead, and quit looking for something else, but rather to let go and run to the Father.  
 
Not to be outdone by its incredible ending, Run leads way to Wait, and it sounds different right off the bat with up-string strums on the guitar, that sounds as good as the way Edge closes With or Without You.  This song explodes with a small choir near the conclusion that begs the despaired to “ride that big, blue sky” after sustaining a “long, hard month of Sundays.”  Key lyric as Michael points out:  “the man who waits is the man who wins”, and this song makes it easy to imagine the eagle’s wings.
 
The project slows down to give the listener a chance to catch their breath…or does it?  MWS decides to touch other larger-than-life emotions: love and death, with two ballads that can wear one out depending on their current life circumstances.  Forever Yours reminds us that the brief line we say at the altar…the, “‘til death do us part”, is for REAL.  Never has a song made me think of that vow with such a realization, that my wife and I are in this thing called marriage to the very end – and whomever death happens to first, really doesn’t matter. It’s a commitment and sacrifice to one’s last breath; and the cinematic music emotionally stirs the point home.  It’s unique and convincing.
 
Welcome Home is another song in Michael’s long musical history of how to deal with saying a forever goodbye.  As with Leesha and This is Your Time, Michael turns the time of grief into a time of celebration. When Home concludes, and the first half of the project is over, the listener should be extremely satisfied.  But, Michael’s not done.
 
Wonder turns up all the pop-magic this artist can muster as it explodes into an up-beat, chord-changing, smorgasbord of pure Smitty fun. This title track is a polished gem that sounds a bit 80s-ish, and old school fans of The Big Picture will appreciate the fountain of youth-like feeling this song will give them.
 
After this fun, Wonder quickly gets back to its more serious tone, and serves two reflective songs, Rise and You Belong to Me. The Rise track stands out as it continually builds momentum and is masterfully laid out.  Belong is Michael on the piano with the orchestra beside him, and that recipe always seems to work as he sings and plays about his deepest, earthly love:  his wife, Debbie.
 
With the past two songs’ themes being long-branded standards with Mr. Smith’s long and productive career, Wonder’s next song is anything but ordinary.  Michael steps out of the box and creates a song about physical and sexual abuse.  Don’t miss one key element to this song…that is that the church is sweeping this issue under the carpet with a “forgive and forget” attitude; leaving the abused hurt with scars, alone, and confused.
 
This song, Leave, may just be the most important song on the project.  All of the other songs touch on familiar strings, but Leave is way out of the box.  I have a feeling that if the song only helps one abused soul, Michael will feel like the risk was worth it.  But my money is that many people, with long-time scars, will find healing because this song provided some sort of inspiration to them.  Only time will tell.
 
How does one follow the emotional and uncomfortable flavor of Leave? A song with a call to change; to not give up; a song to encourage; a song with a clear direction of where to turn, at least, One More Time.  This song takes the listener on a journey of encouragement, and just in case one doesn’t miss it, Michael practically shouts with love, “It’s gonna be alright!”  The song closes with a unique pause and play of about 4 notes, forcing one to reflect what they just heard.  Leave turns to believe, and giving up is not an option.
 
One More Time could and/or would have closed the project nicely, but Michael decides to give us one more emotional punch.  Although one only thought they had experienced it all on this CD:  Grace, love of the Father, romantic love, death, life, abuse, and encouragement. Now, it’s time for surrender.  Take Me Over is Michael’s cry to the Father of complete sacrifice, and lyrically and musically completes this project.  It works because it’s an honest reflection of the artists’ heart.
 
And really, that’s why Wonder works.  Michael W. Smith allows everyone to enter his heart, and know exactly where he is on his journey.  Can he still deliver relevant music without being stereotyped into a Worship genre?  The answer is an enthusiastic “yes”, as Wonder delivers a quality production of fresh and reflective songs. It should result into a tour that one wouldn’t want to miss; but tell your parents and grandparents to bring their earplugs.  This Michael is perm-less, but perhaps the fringed leather jacket may be found and put back on.
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