Topping charts in 2021 with a breakthrough single of the same name, central Kentucky Christian singer/songwriter
Anne Wilson issued her debut full-length
My Jesus in 2022. That country-gospel hit -- written after her brother was killed in an accident -- was a comfort and motivator for many at the time of release during the COVID-19 pandemic, an affirming sentiment that flows throughout the rest of the album. The tender duet "Mamas" with
Hillary Scott, the soft acoustic "No Place Like Home," and "Closer to God" uplift with a message to match the music, while more rousing selections like the organ-backed "Sunday Sermons," "That's What We Need," and "Something About That Name" are primed for the worship stage. Fans of
Kacey Musgraves and
Carrie Underwood will delight in
Wilson's heftier, country-based jams such as "Scatter," the fiery "Devil," the stomping "Hey Girl," and the strutting "God Thing," which can get the blood flowing regardless of the listener's own faith convictions.
My Jesus packs substance and an inspirational message into a surprisingly effective and catchy mainstream collection of anthems, an impressive debut from a young artist with plenty of promise. ~ Neil Z. Yeung