Almost There

iTunes Review

After years of toiling in the vineyards of Christian indie-dom, MercyMe broke big in 2001 thanks to its worship music hit “I Can Only Imagine.” The song was so musically transfixing (and genuinely inspirational) that it risked overshadowing anything else the band recorded, but Almost There proved that MercyMe was more than a one-hymn wonder. The Oklahoma-based quintet builds its luminous pop/rock sound around sleek keyboards and warm-toned acoustic guitars. Humbly-offered expressions of praise dominate the album, emphasizing joy and rebirth in accessible, nonjudgmental terms. Songs like “How Great is Your Love” and “House of God” (the latter oddly reminiscent of Duran Duran) combine a buoyant sound with an inclusive message. “Worship You” rides a slinky, propulsive groove, while “All Fall Down” simmers with a quieter intensity. Bart Millard’s vocals bring out the band’s country overtones in “Bless Me Indeed.” “I Can Only Imagine” is the album’s centerpiece, a compelling vision of meeting the Savior set to an expansive melody. MercyMe has enjoyed considerable success since Almost There; this album, though, remains their signature work.