If I’m truly honest, which I resolved to be in 2011, I have mixed reactions to Brandon Heath’s third studio album, Leaving Eden. It could be that my standards are too high, but I thought Heath’s third album was just good. I wanted it to be great.
Lyrically, the album is weak. I mean, it’s good enough for other artists, but Brandon Heath is an excellent lyricist, most evidenced in his first album. Steadily, Heath’s lyrics have fallen in line more with pop music standards as opposed to the depth offered by singer/songwriters.
Don’t get me wrong. There are beautiful songs on this album, such as my favorite, “It’s Alright,” which uses details from Jesus’ life to remind listeners of Jesus’ promise never to leave believers. The title track, “Leaving Eden”proves that Heath can bring game to a third album. Other songs like “Only Water” and “The Light In Me” rally Leaving Eden forward, and seem more true to the type of artist Brandon Heath seems to be.
I wish the album had more flow, more transition, more…something. To me the songs and message is repetitive—not in a way that creates a full picture of all that Heath is capable. Rather, I find myself becoming bored with the constant percussion and lack of movement within the songs. I believe Leaving Eden is supposed to have a progressive sound to show Brandon Heath’s growth as an artist. I just don’t feel the sound works for Heath dulling his voice and overshadowing his vocals with too much extra noise.
Would I buy this album? Probably…because I adore Brandon Heath. But Leaving Eden is definitely not my favorite album in my Brandon Heath collection.
Amy’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (I added a .5 because “It’s Alright” made me cry. Such a good song!)
She is Beloved 
“It’s Alright” made me cry as well, and there are hardly any songs that actually do that to me! I enjoyed Brandon’s new record. Sure, it doesn’t quite reach the heights that “What If We” did, but it should satisfy both modern pop and Brandon Heath fans alike.
I really think it`s a really great album