Big Daddy Weave
What I Was Made For
Fervent Records
11 tracks @ 47:31

I raved over Big Daddy Weave’s 2003 release Fields of Grace. I suggested, at the time, that BDW reminded me a little bit of the E Street Band. Now the group is back with their newest record, What I Was Made For.

This wasn’t an easy record for the band to make. Last year, Hurricane Ivan leveled the Weaver’s family home in Mobile, Alabama. According to the band’s PR material, the group finished writing and then recorded this album in Mobile, rather than returning to Nashville. Guitarist Jeremy Redmon says, “It definitely put a halt to things-our worlds kind of went upside down there for a little while, in good ways and bad ways.”

And what are we made for? According to lead vocalist and songwriter Mike Weaver, “We were created-from Adam, in the beginning-to know and have a relationship with God. We were made, not just to do our own thing, but we were made for him.”

Several songs revolve around this theme, including the title track, “Just the Way I Am,” and the Newsboys-ish “Without You.”

“Killing Me Again” is an interesting take on addition and features guest vocalist Fred Hammond. Mike Weaver says about the song, “addiction is rampant in the church today. . .the only way to deal with (the darkness in our own lives) is to bring it into the light. . .you NEED to tell someone.”

This is a different sounding record as BDW turns to more of a guitar-driven sound. It isn’t until the disk’s seventh track when the saxophone, an instrument so prominently featured on “Fields of Grace,” makes its first appearance.

Musically, the CD ends with “Words of Life,” an acoustic track about listening to God that reminds me of Bebo Norman.

I say musically because the final track is five minutes of silence. It actually has a title, “Quiet Time.” Mike Weaver says, “So often we don’t take the time to listen (to God). . .if you have the time to listen to this record, then here’s five minutes to spend with God. . .invite Him to speak then give Him the floor and just wait. . .you’ll be amazed.” I think that it’s a neat idea, especially if you have a multi-disk CD player. But if your player only handles one disk at a time, it’s silent when the disk is over any way.

What I Was Made For is a good record but I do miss Joe Shirk’s sax. I felt it gave BDW a real unique sound in CCM.

- Rob S.