Christy Nockels “King Who Never Sleeps; Anthems for Rest” Album Review

Prime Cuts: Tick Tock (God of My Days), Abba (The Salvation Song), Light Up Every Corner

Overall Grade: 4/5

Made for kids, zero to 100, "King Who Never Sleeps; Anthems for Rest" is not your typical lullaby album. Instead, Christy Nockels' latest album is a peace-inducing project filled with 14 tender songs made for families to rest in the sovereign arms of Jesus. The project serves as a follow-up to 2023's call to arms, "This is the Hour," and a sister project to 2017's "Be Held: Lullabies for the Beloved." Nockels, for those unfamiliar, is one-half of the CCM duo Watermark (known initially as Sons & Daughters) alongside her husband, Nathan. Instrumental in the early days of the Passion movement, the beloved vocalist has appeared on numerous Passion albums. Additionally, she has co-written songs recorded by well-known names, including Chris Tomlin, Matt Maher, Kari Jobe, and Kristian Stanfill.

Motherly love permeates through the entire record, making a song like "Fly the Nest Song (Carry You)" particularly endearing. Crafted along the parallels between carrying a child in a woman's womb and carrying them through their whole life, the song teaches us to treasure our most cherished moments. This theme is again expounded upon in the whimsical "Tick Tock (God of My Days)." "Tick Tock" boasts tightly layered vocals, background contributions from a friend's two little girls, and a steady metronome mimicking a heartbeat. "Be Where Your Feet Are," one of the album's singles, is a call to arms, not to miss the preciousness of the here and now.

The Gospel is the subject of "Abba (The Salvation Song)." Using the image of a blanket, the song's deliberate use of homely language makes this ode to the Gospel story palatable. Mitch Wong appears on "Under the Feathers of God," a song that speaks to the shelter and refuge found in our Heavenly Father. In addition to the Psalm 91-inspired track, Wong also contributed his genius to the tender benediction "Keep Your Eyes on Jesus." The strings on "Light Up Every Corner" are mesmerizing.

However, the album has two significant weaknesses. First, as with most singer-songwriter's records, there is a sameness in many of the tracks. With an album that is almost exclusively ballads, it is a dangerous endeavor. Moreover, to have them coming from a few songwriters can compound the temptation to have one song flowing into another with not much distinctions. Second, some of the songs are far too wordy. "All That's Lovely," rooted in Philippians 4:8, has more words than the melody can bear. Other than these quibbles, "King Who Never Sleeps; Anthems for Rest" is a beautifully crafted effort, helping us to rest in Jesus and cherish the gifts he has given to us.

 

 

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