MercyMe's "The Hurt & The Healer": Music Review

After the unexpected crossover success of the 2002 single “I Can Only Imagine” (which led the album Almost There selling more than 2 million copies), MercyMe became one of the most popular bands in Christian music. The Hurt & The Healer is both a product of and victim of that success.

The album contains 10 catchy, well-written songs—each could have potential for radio play. But, unfortunately, the album also comes across a little over-produced (do we really need more auto-tuning?) and too polished. All of the songs sound great, but lack the raw feel that made some of their earlier work so relatable.

Along with the upbeat album opener “You Know Better” and the title track, the record’s highlight is the soulful “Take the Time”, which features guest vocals from NEEDTOBREATHE’s Bear Rineheart.