Michael W Smith raises the bar again with Wonder

Ever the creative risk taker and industry innovator, Michael W Smith delivers the most powerful and personal album of his career, all while living out his faith with the unsurpassed energy and passion that defines him as a man.

With the new 12-song project Wonder, Smith struggles with the disparities of life in the modern age: hope and hardship, confusion and confidence, desperation and dedication.

Yet, through it all, he emits a musical and lyrical sense of possibility. Continuously transformed by the impact of his global travels and the inspiration of his non-profit work (Compassion International, RCKTWN teen club, Nashville Rising, etc.), Smith pushes forward with strength and resolve, believing that Love does win in the end.

It’s this sense of awe and amazement in the midst of the human condition that most aptly describes Wonder.

You’re everything I can’t explain.
You set my heart on fire.
And here I stand amazed.
You take my breath away (“Take My Breath Away”)

Rather than being whimsical or abstract, Wonder shows the legendary and multi-talented singer/songwriter/producer/composer pursuing life and faith with a genuine sense of curiosity, gratitude and determination. Intent to explore the world and his own heart as deeply as he can, Smith again lays bare his life for his listeners, sharing his thoughts, hopes and emotions on his newest and most compelling collection of songs.

If my scars could speak
They would say that grace is my only hope
Grace is showing me the way to where
All my shadows disappear and healing waits for me (“Run to You”)

Two songs provide a vulnerable lens into the intimacy of marriage as Smith speaks candidly of his feelings for wife Debbie: “You Belong to Me” tells of his love-at-first-sight encounter while “Forever Yours” reflects his romantic life-pledge. Another cut, “Welcome Home,” delves into both the deep grief of losing Debbie’s grandmother and the unrestrained joy of knowing she’s now arrived where she truly belongs.

Other highlight tracks include the project’s anthemic first single, “Save Me From Myself”, “Take My Breath Away”, “Leave”, “Run to You" and the prayerful, moving album closer, “Take Me Over”.

This ablum sees Smith re-team with longtime collaborator and producer Bryan Lenox (Freedom, This Is Your Time) to bring forth a rich, sonically expansive record. The production of the 12-song Wonder, Smith’s 22nd career album, featured one of the first uses of Endless Analog’s CLASP system (for Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor), a device giving the producers new flexibility in linking up digital audio workstations with analog tape machines and imbuing Wonder’s final sound with a warmth and depth rarely heard in today’s musical marketplace.

Smith not only boldly engaged with new technology on this latest effort, he also challenged himself by teaming with a new band in the studio and partnering with several new writers (Kyle Lee, Michael Farren, Michael Olson, Stu G – formerly of Delirious? – as well as highly respected names like Matt Maher, Tommy Sims and Matthew West, among others).