When I was in Raleigh, NC for the ReThink Conference I had the pleasure of meeting Shelly Moore. Shelly has a band and a new album called Hope and Decay which I’ve been really enjoying over the last few weeks. She describes her genre as “Indie Rock” — which I’ve actually never heard of (look, I’m pretty out of it, sorry). What I can say is that Shelly has a very clear, melodic, relaxing voice and an overall soothing musical style. It makes her album a great vehicle for a combination of comfort, background music, and edification. The lyrics are rich with theological truth, particular on our daily need for God’s grace.
My favorite song on the album is “Be Exalted” – a cry of thanksgiving for God’s sometimes mysterious and always good leading connected with a hearty petition that God would be exalted by His creation, that His excellencies would be more widely known and appreciated. The lyrics are:
Jesus, I’m amazed by You/By the way You lead, by the way You love / Jesus, I am changed by You / By the way You lead, by the way You love / With unfailing love for those you’ve redeemed / * You’ve captured my heart / You’ve captured my mind / O God / * Be exalted, O God / God of the amazing, God of the amazing / Be exalted, O God / God of the amazing, God unchanging – yes / * Jesus, I’m amazed by You / By the way You lead, by the way You love / Jesus, I am changed by You / By the way You lead, by the way You love / With unending love for those you’ve restored
Another great song is called “Solid Ground”. This one is about waiting for God, trusting in His promise in the midst of deep pain:
Hearts are broken, walls fall down / Oh the walls come crashing down / Pillars of strength, now piles of rubble / In tears we try to make sense of this puzzle / * Seasons will change / Colors will fade / These notes will be heard no more / One day the pain / Will cease to remain / Because this was never a story about me / * Hearts are hurting, faith is shifting / But our souls don’t rest on sand / A picture of youth, now reminds us of glory / Because this was never a story about me / * For now we cry / Wiping the tears from our eyes / And we wait for You / We wait for You / You are making all things new
You can listen to portions of several songs for free on her My Space page (including “Solid Ground”). I highly recommend getting the album (follow the links–songs are available for $0.99 each on Itunes). Scroll down here to find information about her booking agent and press contact.