Joy Williams

Much of contemporary Christian music these days bears the stamp of its Top 40 counterpart, only with lyrics aimed upward rather than inward. Dan Muckala's Max Martin-like approach to "No Less" and "Serious" on this solid debut is proof of this trend. Ditto Dennis Patton's crazy stuff on "Second Nature." All good songs, but the one drawback to this is that the sonics often get in the way of the CCM singers, who tend to have a little more to offer vocally than Britney Spears. Count the 18-year-old Williams — almost as cute as Spears, if less obviously so — as yet another strong, young Amy Grant heir apparent in an increasingly crowded field. Her vocals are strong enough to survive the technical intensity of most of these tunes, which is important because her messages, simple though they are, convey the essence of faith and moral living to young, impressionable listeners. You have to wait until track ten to hear Williams' true plaintive ability to communicate to both her listeners and Jesus. "Do They See Jesus in Me" is a gorgeous ballad that lets us know Williams can easily survive with little more than a piano and a desire to communicate the Gospel. Her handlers would be well-advised to let this shine even brighter in the future.