TY HERNDON - Love Me Anyway - Pivotal Records

With a resume full of accolades, including three #1 songs, “What Mattered Most,” “Livin’ In The Moment,” and “It Must Be Love,” Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning Ty Herndon has certainly built a mountain of achievements to be proud of that many only dream of.

However, he isn’t resting on what’s already been done, but has rather seen a next step resurgence over the past two years with the success of his most personal album to date, JACOB, a pure showcase of his walk with faith which has continued finding more charting achievements with its singles, “Till You Get There” and “Dents On A Chevy.”

With the newly released deluxe version of the album, Herndon adds two more intriguing pieces to his story with brand-new songs, “How You Get To Heaven” and “Love Me Anyway.”

Whereas “How You Get To Heaven” takes a soft storytelling approach, “Love Me Anyway” presents a driving groove through its melody, perfectly accenting the total acceptance of who he is in God’s eyes regardless of the constant noise that says otherwise.

The song, written by Herndon, Jamie Floyd, and Jimmy Thow, not only highlights the understanding of who God made us to be, but tackles head on the very real problem of everyday people confusing the different ways to get to heaven while missing the fundamental fact that God is love and we punch our ticket to eternal life with Him through our acceptance of His son Jesus Christ.

From the preacher man talking about love and the tidings we must bid to get to heaven, to the entire town sending up extra prayers for him because they think he’s changed and they’re worried about where he’s going, Herndon doesn’t hold back on exposing what’s happening around him in the flesh throughout the opening verse.

The second verse then digs deeply into the hard truth of the underhanded projecting of false love and how it’s nothing more to many than just a chore for them to check of their “heaven-bound to do list” as he transparently shares heartbreak emotions from the perspective of the one whose being showered in task-driven love, “like you’re doing something good but you’re just adding to the hurting.”

But it’s when he drops comeback lines such as “like God’s arms ain’t wide open,” that we see him fully embracing the unconditional love of the Father as he slides into the praise and worship laced chorus, enthusiastically stamping that he doesn’t rely on their earthly love of him so long as he has it shining on him from above:

“I raise my hands to heaven and I know that I’m loved

I live my life knowing that I am enough

There ain’t nobody, nowhere gonna tell me different

I know the real thing cause I feel it

It doesn’t come with permissions

I just want you to love me the way I was made

I don’t need you to love me anyway”

Perfectly tip-toeing the border between his natural 90’s country aura with modern CCM qualities, Ty Herndon continues to boldly share his story through song while injecting a crossover appeal that will allow him to reach the unreachable who are experiencing similar spiritual battles, becoming a leading voice for the voiceless.

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis)

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