Move - Levi McGrath

Craig Schwarze | 11 November 2007

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Move
Levi McGrath
Small House Records
2007

Recent years have seen a number of talented singer/songwriters emerge from the local Christian music scene. Levi McGrath is the latest of these. His debut album, Move, is impressive.

McGrath grew up in a Christian home in regional Victoria. His bio describes his “passionate commitment to changing the world for the better”. He has spent time ministering to Melbourne street kids and Ugandan orphans, and these experiences have informed his music.

Many of the songs on Move revolve around the idea of a journey as a metaphor for life or a particular experience. His message is that the “journey” is often difficult, but there is always hope. Letting It Go sums up much of the album when it says,

Sometimes we fall along the road of life
Left uncollected by the roadside

Just pick yourself up, look to the new horizon
Let all the hurt and all the memories go
Wait for the new day, a new sun is rising
Feels so much better now you’re letting it go

But McGrath wants to go further than that. Hope is found not just in a positive attitude, but ultimately in God. In Eternally he sings,

A thousand things I’ve tried to find
To satisfy this heart of mine
But none can fill me up as much as you

He is even more explicit about his faith in Beautiful Day,

Wonderful Cross, chosen for me
Bearing my losses on Calvary
Beautiful Saviour, nails in your feet
You took the shame for me

McGrath’s sound is an acoustic driven rock, with hints of folk and R&B. I could recognise the influence of other male guitarist/singers, such as Ben Lee, Pete Murray and James Blunt. He has a confident and mature voice, which is well complemented by the album’s solid production values. The melodies are strong, and he clearly has a good grasp of song-craft.

This is an excellent debut album from a committed Christian songwriter. McGrath has talent and skill, and I predict he will enjoy much success on the local Christian music scene.