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| ><> CMR Album Review <>< |
'My Paper Heart'
[Release Date: July 22, 2008] (Fervent Records)
Track Listing
1. Free To Be Me
2. I'm Letting Go
3. Unpredictable
4. My Paper Heart
5. Beautiful, Beautiful
6. Blue Sky
7. Forever Love
8. Someday Soon
1. Free To Be Me
2. I'm Letting Go
3. Unpredictable
4. My Paper Heart
5. Beautiful, Beautiful
6. Blue Sky
7. Forever Love
8. Someday Soon
| ><> Review Written By: Liz Zelinski (liz.zelinski@christianmusicreview.org) <>< ><> Date Written: July 15, 2008 <>< |
| [ Main Review ] |
| [ Writer's Closing Thoughts ] |
| You can catch Francesca’s blog on her website, http://www.francescamusic.com. She updates it often, which further serves to connect her with her audience. Over-all, Francesca is a great new artist, and I’m expecting to see some creative work from her in the future. |
Sounds like: Natasha Bedingfield and Kelly Clarkson with a hint of a country twang in a few
of the songs.
Francesca Battistelli, a new artist to the Christian scene, is about to release her first
album, “My Paper Heart.” The title really fits the CD; her music shares much of who she is
with her audience, connecting with listeners in an intimate way.
Since Francesca is a new artist, let’s take a moment to get to know her and where she
comes from. According to a press release, Francesca’s musical talent started at a young
age, and came naturally as both her parents were active in music and the arts. Her mother
and father were both involved in Broadway. At 15, she joined an all-girl pop group, honing
her musical and dance talent. She discovered her passion for Christian music when she
was involved in her youth ministry at church, and quickly dedicated her gifts to God.
My Paper Heart starts out with a song called “Free to be me.” It’s about the twists and turns
in life, and how God can see what’s coming and has plans for our future. “At twenty years
of age I'm still looking for a dream / A war's already waged for my destiny / But You've
already won the battle / And You've got great plans for me…” The second track, “I’m letting
go,” is similar in its theme, about God being in control of our destinies, letting go and not
being afraid. When we give up our lives for God, we will truly experience freedom.
The title track, “My Paper Heart,” has kind of a pop jazz sound, and starts out with a good
illustration for how fragile our hearts are. “Well I’ve been treated like a valentine / That’s
been ripped apart and left behind…/ My paper heart is Yours now / I have landed in Your
hands / Come so far to find out / My life will never be the same / Since you wrote your
name / On my paper heart.” Francesca is really speaking scripture in this song. Proverbs 3:
3 says, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them
on the tablet of your heart.” Our hearts are tables, blank pieces of paper for God to write
on with His love.
“Forever Love” is a beautiful worship song that could be sung during any church worship
service. It is about God knowing and loving us, and loving Him in return from the depths of
our hearts. He is our forever love, unchanging and always forgiving. The next track,
“Someday Soon,” will most certainly be played at my wedding. The entire song is a ballad
written to the husband she is waiting for, and the great love and life she can not wait to
share with him. “I wanna be the one who does everything with you / Watching stars,
washing cars, taking walks, going to the store / I wanna be the one who gets to change her
last name someday… And I can’t imagine anything, anything better than /
Someday falling in love with you / Holding your hand / Making our plans all come true…”
“It’s your life” is about making wise decisions, and doing what you know is right even
though the world is watching. The song says that your life may be the one thing that moves
another person closer or further from God. So don’t forget that “It’s your life / The world is
watching you / Every day the choices you make / Say what you are and who / Your heart
beats for…” We are called to be living witnesses for Christ, and this song is a reminder of
that calling. The last song, “Time in Between,” is a picture of Christ’s life and death put to
music. Jesus was there in the beginning of time; spend nine months in his mother’s womb,
then three days dead in a tomb before rising again. However, out of all that, the part that
makes the biggest difference in our lives is “The time in between / That brings me to my
knees / Knowing you came for me… / Don't take much for this crazy world / To rob me of
my peace… / So I stand here lifting empty hands / For you to fill me up again.”
In a press release, Battistelli said, “Ultimately, I want to be an encouragement as an artist
and a fellow believer. The Lord has continually called me to do things that are outside my
comfort zone, whether it was accompanying myself on guitar for the first time in front of
seasoned players or packing up and moving to Nashville last year knowing hardly
anybody. Still, He's never left me, and He constantly shows me that it's worth it. I have
parents who pray and encourage me to be bold and to take bold steps for Christ. I don’t
think that’s common enough in the Christian culture. We have these big dreams, but many
aren’t willing to take the steps to go after them. Yet this is the moment. We’re not promised
tomorrow. So today’s the day.”
Welcome to the Christian music scene, Francesca!
of the songs.
Francesca Battistelli, a new artist to the Christian scene, is about to release her first
album, “My Paper Heart.” The title really fits the CD; her music shares much of who she is
with her audience, connecting with listeners in an intimate way.
Since Francesca is a new artist, let’s take a moment to get to know her and where she
comes from. According to a press release, Francesca’s musical talent started at a young
age, and came naturally as both her parents were active in music and the arts. Her mother
and father were both involved in Broadway. At 15, she joined an all-girl pop group, honing
her musical and dance talent. She discovered her passion for Christian music when she
was involved in her youth ministry at church, and quickly dedicated her gifts to God.
My Paper Heart starts out with a song called “Free to be me.” It’s about the twists and turns
in life, and how God can see what’s coming and has plans for our future. “At twenty years
of age I'm still looking for a dream / A war's already waged for my destiny / But You've
already won the battle / And You've got great plans for me…” The second track, “I’m letting
go,” is similar in its theme, about God being in control of our destinies, letting go and not
being afraid. When we give up our lives for God, we will truly experience freedom.
The title track, “My Paper Heart,” has kind of a pop jazz sound, and starts out with a good
illustration for how fragile our hearts are. “Well I’ve been treated like a valentine / That’s
been ripped apart and left behind…/ My paper heart is Yours now / I have landed in Your
hands / Come so far to find out / My life will never be the same / Since you wrote your
name / On my paper heart.” Francesca is really speaking scripture in this song. Proverbs 3:
3 says, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them
on the tablet of your heart.” Our hearts are tables, blank pieces of paper for God to write
on with His love.
“Forever Love” is a beautiful worship song that could be sung during any church worship
service. It is about God knowing and loving us, and loving Him in return from the depths of
our hearts. He is our forever love, unchanging and always forgiving. The next track,
“Someday Soon,” will most certainly be played at my wedding. The entire song is a ballad
written to the husband she is waiting for, and the great love and life she can not wait to
share with him. “I wanna be the one who does everything with you / Watching stars,
washing cars, taking walks, going to the store / I wanna be the one who gets to change her
last name someday… And I can’t imagine anything, anything better than /
Someday falling in love with you / Holding your hand / Making our plans all come true…”
“It’s your life” is about making wise decisions, and doing what you know is right even
though the world is watching. The song says that your life may be the one thing that moves
another person closer or further from God. So don’t forget that “It’s your life / The world is
watching you / Every day the choices you make / Say what you are and who / Your heart
beats for…” We are called to be living witnesses for Christ, and this song is a reminder of
that calling. The last song, “Time in Between,” is a picture of Christ’s life and death put to
music. Jesus was there in the beginning of time; spend nine months in his mother’s womb,
then three days dead in a tomb before rising again. However, out of all that, the part that
makes the biggest difference in our lives is “The time in between / That brings me to my
knees / Knowing you came for me… / Don't take much for this crazy world / To rob me of
my peace… / So I stand here lifting empty hands / For you to fill me up again.”
In a press release, Battistelli said, “Ultimately, I want to be an encouragement as an artist
and a fellow believer. The Lord has continually called me to do things that are outside my
comfort zone, whether it was accompanying myself on guitar for the first time in front of
seasoned players or packing up and moving to Nashville last year knowing hardly
anybody. Still, He's never left me, and He constantly shows me that it's worth it. I have
parents who pray and encourage me to be bold and to take bold steps for Christ. I don’t
think that’s common enough in the Christian culture. We have these big dreams, but many
aren’t willing to take the steps to go after them. Yet this is the moment. We’re not promised
tomorrow. So today’s the day.”
Welcome to the Christian music scene, Francesca!
9. Behind The Scenes
10. It's Your Life
11. Time In Between
| 4.0 |
| 2.5 |
| 1.3 |
| 0.5 |
| 8.3 |
| 83% B- |
