Review of Full Attention by
Jim B. Miller
936.564.4600
vineyard@netdot.com.
(Varietal Records, 12tracks, $14)
In 2006 worship singer-songwriter Jeremy Riddle’s song “Sweetly Broken” scored astonishingly high on national Contemporary Christian Music radio charts, topping at the No. 6 most-played AC song nationwide, right up there with Third Day, Casting Crowns and Chris Tomlin – an excellent debut, I would say, for a local church youth leader barely out of the chute.
With his hit song, Riddle created an instant fan base including Dallas’ KLOVE Radio Network’s legendary Jon Rivers who gave Riddle this thumbs-up: “We have been playing ‘Sweetly Broken’ in a high rotation for about 40 weeks.
Need I say more?” Nope, that’s enough for people who understand radio parlance. And all of that before Jeremy Riddle had recorded his first album, but that was then. Now “Sweetly Broken”, which made its first appearance last year on a live worship album by the same title, is one of the featured tracks on Riddle’s debut solo album, “Full Attention”. He is the vanguard artist for the newest label in Christian music, Houston-based Varietal Records, an artist-driven label grown out of Vineyard Music, whose unique objective is to present the voices of talented worship leaders in a new studio solo pop-rock radio-friendly format.
But I am getting ahead of the story. God began bringing Jeremy to “full attention” several years ago when he was playing in a mainstream band and getting plenty of attention not only from a local following but also from some rather big record labels. With his dream almost within grasp he sensed that there was something missing. Looking back, he remembers, “I knew if I was ever going to have peace about it, I was going to have to lay the whole [ambition] thing down and let the Lord resurrect it.”
So he did. And it wasn’t easy. Riddle watched what he thought was the death of a long-held dream of performing, but, in its wake, he found a deep connection with God. “When I returned to the Lord,” he said, “I died to ambition. I am content. My only goal now is to hit the mark God intended – nothing less.” He tells the story of the change that occurred in his life during that time in his song “Hallowed Father,” recalling the broken state of his heart at the time. And in “Sweetly Broken” he sings, “At the cross you beckon me, / You draw me gently to my knees, and I am / Lost for words, so lost in love, / I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered.”
From that shattered state, Riddle began to pen songs rising from inside him, songs destined to become part of “Full Attention.” Varietal Records, to ensure the quality of their first project, enlisted the talents of famed mix engineers Chris Lord Alge (U2, Madonna, Prince, Jars of Clay) and Bob Clearmountain (Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Bon Jovi, Switchfoot, Mercy Me), forge a product that is sure to win an even greater audience for this young singer-songwriter whose writes ” for the pleasure of God.” Last month Christian Retailing chose “Full Attention” as their “Top Pick” album. Not only will churches, including yours, be singing these songs soon but I expect we will be hearing a lot more from Jeremy Riddle. (Website: JeremyRiddle.net).
Used by permission Jim B. Miller 936.564.4600 vineyard@netdot.com