Michael Olson

“Where Fear and Faith Collide”

Rocketown Records

10 tracks @ 39:10

Grade = B-

            I liked Michael Olson’s debut and wrote a favorable review.  He’s an excellent song writer.  Now he’s back with his sophomore release and is scheduled to tour with Michael W. Smith this spring.

            In his press materials, Olson notes that he’s had some trying times, personal and professional, since the release of his first record.

            Olson says, “Everything is different for me than it was two years ago.  Some changes have been great, and some have been truly challenging.  Changes in life beg the question, ‘What are the foundational things that I believe in and how do they apply to these new circumstances?’  We can either allow challenges to define us and back us into a corner of fear, or allow God to use challenges to grow our faith.”

            “If You Can Stop the World” was inspired by Jeremiah. 33:20-22, that it is futile to try and stop God’s faithfulness to us.  “Unchanged” echoes this sentiment; “I will lift my eyes to You, Knowing You will never move.”  The first single, “On the Third Day,” written by Matt Maher and Marc Byrd, also follows this theme. 

About that last song, Olson says, “The line ‘everything must die to rise again’ resonated so well with the thoughts I had been having about the relationship between fear and faith that I felt that the song had a place on the record right away.”

I love the up-tempo chorus on the praise song “God is With Us.”  Olson describes the final track, “Drawing Near,” as fitting in with making this release his “John the Baptist” record.  Olson says, “The state of the world over the past year has left a lingering feeling in the hearts of believers that Jesus is preparing for His return.  It’s almost eerie how closely current events have followed after what scripture has laid out.

“Jesus said that the love of many would ‘grow cold’ in the last days.  This song was written for all of us that we might be aware of the times in which we live and have diligent hearts to finish strong.”

            “Where Fear and Faith Collide” would have received a higher grade but for some inexplicable reason its difficult to hear Michael’s vocal on “Tell Me Again” and the title track (co-written with Mike Weaver of Big Daddy Weave).  In fact, the former is a duet with one of my fave artists, Sara Groves, but I couldn’t tell due to the mix of the instruments.

Kudos to April Hefner of Rocketown Records. She put together an informative package of material for this record.

Rob S.

www.MichaelOlsonMusic.com