Meredith Andrews

By Debra Akins, contributing writer, gmclife.com

It’s been two years since we were introduced to Meredith Andrews – on her mid-tempo, pop-friendly debut project The Invitation. It was evident then that Andrews had built a solid foundation as both a musician and worship leader, having perfected that role throughout her college years at Liberty University and later leading worship at the 12,000-member Harvest Church in Chicago. Her Word Records debut positioned her well as a worship artist with great pop-music sensibilities, and allowed her to get her feet wet as she hit the road with fellow artists like Michael W. Smith, Aaron Shust, Brandon Heath, Natalie Grant and more.

So it comes as no surprise that on her sophomore effort, As Long As It Takes, Andrews is paired again with producers Jason Ingram and Rusty Varenkamp, who have helped guide her through another well-chosen collection of 11 piano-driven tracks. Following the success of Invitation’s No. 1 radio single “You’re Not Alone,” Andrews and her producers have honed the ballad to near perfection here, opting for slower tempos and even more poignant lyrics this time around. The combination suits her well.

Inspired moments on the album include a collaboration with worship artist Paul Baloche on the church-friendly “How Great Is the Love;” “Come Home,” a touching song written for a troubled brother; “What It Means To Love,” a song inspired by a Haitian boy who is HIV-positive; and the musically lush “All Will Fade Away.”

A nicely-developed step up from her earlier work, As Long As It Takes is a winning sophomore effort from Meredith Andrews.

More Reviews