Music Review: God And A Girl, Joy Whitlock

It’s been awhile since we’ve seen or heard anybody fresh for the girl power singer/songwriter set that was once so popular and ever-growing. But Joy Whitlock perhaps could be the one to freshen up the boys’ club that’s been collective in this scene with her debut album, God And A Girl. This disc starts with “Cost Of Being Free” which has tons of catchy hooks, light keyboards and biting snares adjoining her witty repartee on how you could change your life at the drop of a hat. Whitlock continued to break out more so on “Faith Don’t Fail” as large melodies encompassed her raspy alto alongside blues-laced chords and drifting arrangements as she opens up her heart to the world. “Don’t Look Down” at this point on this recording may be her harshest offering as she brutally tells it like it is through harder licks and rumbling grooves, but keeps the coffee shop vibe going strong here as she sounds like a Christian version of Alanis Morrisette or Jewel.

“Holding On To Me” relinquishes more of the same from Joy as she bluntly displays herself with a lulled style to her own backed by slick guitars and tons of attitude. “Testify” is the first ballad on this release and it shows her as this stripped-down, bare and raw emotive young lady giving us her entire innerds through her lyrics and just a guitar. “Beautiful” perhaps is the most honest interpretation of her love and gratefulness to Jesus Christ a she shows it immensely through its lyrical structure and this is also the most pop rock-like cut on this disc with the full harmonizations, light rhythms and down tempo moods. “Your Face” is her folksy countrified kind of thing with tons of fiddle and mandolin in the background as she merrily sings away her love for what God has done for her.

“Traces Of You” is an easy-going mid-tempo track filled with bass drum and guitar wailing away as Joy soulfully sings in that pretty velvety alto that has been putting a smile on your face throughout this effort. “Psalms” awakens your senses as she perks things up a bit with her praises for The Holy One with pounding structures and rolling snares. “Fake” is the most inorganic of the songs on this list as it uses synthesizers, samples of multiple vocals and thunder bashing as she soundly honors The Lord. Joy Whitlock didn’t disappoint with her unveiling onto the musical landscape with God And A Girl and we hope for more to come soon.