When it comes to worship music today, it's the case of the emperor without clothes.  Nowadays worship music is so hyped up that it's all about the latest cinematic effects.  We are so easily impressed with the latest thunderous drum lines, killer guitar riffs and recycled clichés without realizing what is missing is actually the core.  We are more interested in reinventing the wheel without realizing that the wheel is missing in the first place.  We have lost that heartfelt passion for Jesus.  Also, we have allowed something called melody to fly out the window without hearing its flutter.  On his brand new Maranatha Music's release "Heart Full of Soul," David M. Edwards goes right back to the heart of worship.  These 12 new songs all exude a renewed passion for Jesus, the Cross and his resurrection.  Further, instead of relying on the latest technical beeps, the strength of this record is in the memorable melodic structures.  Helmed by Dove Award-winning producer Phil Sillas (Kathie Lee Gifford, Natalie Grant and Shelly Johnson), these 12 studio recorded tracks also feature guest vocals from the legendary family group The McCrarys (Andrae' Crouch, Buddy Miller, Bebe & CeCe Winans) and Markita Knight (Kurt Carr, Israel Houghton, Judith McAllister.) 

Besides being a singer-song writer, Edwards also wears many hats.  He is the author of "Worship 365: The Power of a Worshiping Life," a columnist for "Rev!" magazine, and a popular conference speaker.  Moreover, he teaches "Worship + Renewal" in the School of Divinity at Regent University, in Virginia Beach, Va., since 2008. Such proficiency certainly informs Edwards' own songs with deeper shafts of insights.  Take "We Are Here to Worship" as an example.  Listen to how the Scriptural echoes from the Isaianic vision and the worship scenes from Revelation 4 and 5 are brilliantly interwoven to this propulsive call to worship.  Edwards who has a bluesy power-packed tenor not dissimilar to Michael English and Russ Taff certainly puts it to great effect on the swampy Rhodes-fueled blues of "In His Hands."   While the wailing B-3, stinging guitars and the sweeping melody gives "Jesus You Reign" an infectious blues funk kick.

The ballads are definitely the highlights:  "Heaven's Prince of Peace" has all the ingredients of a stellar congregational worship ballad.  This song does not just encourage worship but it inspires worship with its gorgeous melody, its Christ besotted words and when you get to the bridge of the song you are simply lost in the beauty of heaven's prince of peace.  "We All Declare" has a reverb back to the 90s with the Don Moen-like keyboard accompanying its memorable melodic line.  "Remain in Me," on the other hand, is a brassly rhythmic ballad that carefully expounds the sayings of Jesus in John 15.  "I Love the Lord," an original and not a re-cut of Whitney Houston's song of the same titular, is lyrically lacking somehow and it's not the best song on the disc.  Yet, strangely "I Love the Lord" was lifted as the record's lead single.

Chris Tomlin's "Everlasting God" gets a reprise here.  Starting off in Edwards' signature balladry form before Edwards ratchets up the rocking groove turning this into a powerful anthem of praise.  Another familiar piece is "Rising Up to Heaven," released a couple of years ago on Edwards' EP of the same name.  Overall, this album lives up to its title "Heart Full of Soul."  Throughout these 12 cuts, we can't help but hear Edwards' pounding heart beating with love for Jesus Christ.  And Edwards carries him brilliantly right through with a soulful pop funk that sets him apart from the countless worship leaders out there.