By KERI L. ADAMS
Artist: Jessie Clark
Album: 'Clay In His Hands'
Released: 2003
Like any good LDS gospel album, Clay in His Hands, is filled with beautiful melodies and simple gospel messages but Jessie Clark's powerful voice really drives the meaning home.
The debut album of LDS singer/songwriter Clark has an EFY feel with songs covering topics of faith, service, prayer and obedience. But young and old will be touched by Clark's mixture of rich velvet sounds, powerful belts and plenty of light vibrato, although at times a little too much.
You'll find yourself floating along with the peaceful harp accompaniment of 'Hold On, The Light Will Come' or carried along by the light, soft guitar in 'You Know Who I Am.' The album is also filled with great use of metaphors and imagery as witnessed in the title track 'Clay in His Hands,' which likens Heavenly Father to a potter, continuously guiding and refining and in another track on the album about being an example of Christ titled 'Would I Know You Now.' 'Have the images I've painted so distorted who you are that even if the world is looking they could not see You, The real You.'
This beginning album, with Clark's bold notes and dreamy movements, will leave listeners 'filled with joy and tears where hopes and fears exist,' (from 'The Station'), and looking forward to a possibly deeper and more challenging album from Clark.