Customer Reviews

Not Without Love

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
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Yes, Jimmy Needham is a Christian artist, but his songs don't sound like everything else that plays on the local praise station. With catchy choruses, and non conventional song structure he sets himself apart in a good way. His lyrics deal with nuanced specific topics, and overall, it's a good album that's uplifting, thoughtful, and has atypical song topics that make you think. He sounds a lot like Jason Mraz, which to me is a good thing.

The follow-up to 2006's Speak for Texas-native Jimmy Needham is nothing less than passionate and soulful. Needham has a way of speaking the truth using personal introspection, along with a mix of jazz and blues harmonics, R&B vocal style, and straight-forward songwriting approach completing a diversified yet catchy sophomore release through Inpop Records.

Although Not Without Love may not surprise many, it does inspire. Needham is very passionate about writing songs that are not just "songs" with a verse, a chorus, another verse, and a bridge, but he wants to bring about worship. He makes it clear that he does not listen to any style of music that does not make him want to worship God, and it's very clear on Not Without Love that he doesn't write songs just to be listened to, but they're to be experienced in our everyday lives.

The album starts off with an apologetic number which is the basis of the release explaining Needham's normally unsuccessful attempts in converting souls, and with a revelation beyond logic, love. The song has a normal swing of pop influenced soul with lightly distorted and affectionate electric guitar with Jimmy's usual acoustic swagger.

"We pass our paper facts all week, but they won't come around...There's only way they'll come, and it's love."

Jimmy is quick to subject to humility, and slow to boast. He gives light of this on "Hurricane" his desperation to be saved from the flesh. Needham mixes up his usual truth-bearing/melancholic redeeming numbers with a couple tracks about his fiancée (Firefly, Unfailing Love) that are extremely heartfelt. "Firefly" is definitely a poppier track with it's jovial melody, while "Unfailing Love" gets more to the core of his love for this woman. He even repeats his purpose for the song three times

"Be my wife, be my wife, be my wife."

Two of the last three tracks of Not Without Love again express anguish and angst-ridden need for saving. Both tracks (Rend, The Great Love Story) are more piano-driven which makes it easier to feel his longing for redemption. "Author" could definitely be used in churches as a traditional contemporary worship song, and is probably my favorite track on Love.

Even though Love is not a shocking, it is moving and a recommended purchase. You won't find many artists like Jimmy Needham; he is honest, compassionate, and personal, and it comes through on both releases thus far.

I was looking for something different to listen to and this came up on my recommendations thought i might give it a listen.
I was very pleasantly surprised by Jimmy Needham and his ability to be so smooth.

He reminded me of Jason Mraz, but with maybe a little more relevance as far as lyrics go, talking about how we view others, to our self worth and even a great love song in firefly.
This is truly a great album up there with some of my favorites.

Recommended if you like Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Shawn McDonald and Matthew West.

Houston Texas-based singer/songwriter Jimmy Needham's InPop Records debut "Speak" showcased his down-to-earth lyrics while exposing the rock, pop and gospel-influenced side of his art as well. "Speak" produced a No. 2 single at Christian Hit Radio with "Lost At Sea," and its song "Dearly Loved" also broke the Top 10 on CHR. Needham's sophomore album, "Not Without Love", is a fitting continuation of his first project and includes standout tracks "Come Around", "A Breath Or Two", "Hurricane", "Firefly" and "Forgiven And Loved".

Opening song "Come Around" sets the tone for this very solid album as Jimmy Needham blends his signature sound that to me blends mainstream artist Jason Mraz with recent American Idol winner Kris Allen. Jimmy's soulful voice and personal lyrics are very engaging and every song puts me right there with him. Next song "A Breath Or Two" is a great worship song and continues telling Jimmy's personal journey of faith and highlights the main theme of "Not Without Love" which is 1st Corinthians 13:1-3: "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." "Hurricane" is also one of my favorite songs and the song is based on Psalm 51:17 with the great chorus: "I need You like a hurricane, Thunder crashing wind and rain, To tear my walls down, I'm only Yours now".

Hit song "Firefly" is next and is a great relationship song with the catchy lyrics "You move into a room like Summer breeze at noon time, Baby out of nine I'd give you ten". My favorite song of the album is next, Jimmy's hit song "Forgiven And Loved", which is based on Romans 8:1-"Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". The message of this song is so personal and biblical as it is directed to both believers and non-believers to know that there is no condemnation for our sins when we accept Jesus as our substitute and Savior. Also, we need to know that we can't earn our own salvation and unfortunately many people live for works and think they can somehow earn their way to heaven.

"Before And After" and "Tossed By The Wind" are also great songs that reflect Jimmy's Christian walk. "Unfailing Love (Kelly's song)" is another love song to Jimmy's wife. "Rend", "The Author" and "The Great Love Story" close out "Not Without Love" with more biblical truth especially at the end of "The Great Love Story" with the lyrics "All glory, All honor be, To the God that filled the divide".

If you like Jason Mraz and Kris Allen, you need to check out Jimmy Needham. "Come Around", "A Breath Or Two", "Hurricane", "Firefly" and "Forgiven And Loved" are my favorite songs on this very solid album.

Mr. needham has a great way of stringing words together. Sometimes he reminds me of Jason Mraz because he uses words better than most of the so called songwriters out there. This album is well produced. I think it is his best to date. Now I am just waiting for a live album because he is much better in person. I would love to hear him experiment with a little electic guitar.

So I became a fan of JN about a year ago and immediately purchased his music. This album is just as good as the first two. This album moves to a slightly more mainstream sound but every track is still amazing. His music never really gets old and anyone fond of Christian Rock should definitely pick this up along with his older music. The music has a classic feel and that is something that really sets him apart from those in the Christian Rock world today. He is definitely an underrated artist and I expect him to rise on the charts steadily with this release. Support this amazing artist and his ministry!

Clever lyrics, catchy melodies and choruses, this album became an instant favorite.

I actually discovered him while standing in a Papyrus store and his song Unfailing Love came on. I really liked it, so I opened up Shazam on my iPhone, held it in the air, and immediately bought his album on iTunes.

And that right there is pretty much the biggest compliment I can pay him... I loved his music BEFORE I even knew he was a Christian artist.

Jimmy Needham's combination of catchy, joyful-sounding music mixed with heavy, meaningful lyrics make this CD a must for any music collection. You will not regret buying this CD. You'll be playing it over, and over, and over....

One of my all time favorite cd's ever. Truly amazing and inspiring. If you like awesome Christian music that is Biblically based and solid, buy this right now. Has a Jason Mraz vibe. Loooooove it!

I ordered a cd from them and recieved it in less that a week! also it arived with no cracks or damage. i would order from this seller again.