Andy Mineo’s EP, entitled, ‘The Sword’ just came out last Friday. I got up, got ready for the day, and then sat down to listen to it and write you guys a review.
This is his second EP this year and it follows his last one like the next chapter in a book. He will be releasing two more after this one and I already can’t wait to hear them. I love how he is releasing these because at least for me, the waiting and the suspense is just as fun as the actual release.
Let me just stop and say: COVER ART. The cover art for these EPs so far has been incredible. The kind of thing you want on a t-shirt or a poster bc YES. And, there is cool art for the videos too.
My Review
I will be reviewing all seven songs with a few of my favorite lyrics from each one:
The first song Almost… feat. David James on vocals, is a slow, steady, almost-jazzy song.
What if your greatest dreams don’t happen when you sleep?
Next up we have …There continues with the same feel as the first song, and then it gets more upbeat as Andy Mineo does his thing. He contemplates life and death, and for me, his prayer was to remember Heaven while living on earth, trying to bring the truth of Heaven down here.
I got angels flying all around, I pray they take me off the ground.
Friends is an upbeat song about what real friends are. Real friends tell you the truth even if they know you may not like to hear it, real friends don’t only want you when they need something, real friends are not fickle, and real friends are always there for you. For me personally, it’s easy to keep people who are not my real friends in my life, because I excuse, forgive and forget no matter what they do but that’s not always healthy. This track was a message about not keeping people like that in your life.
You said I was right when I ain’t right– that’s no what friends do, that’s not what friends do.
None of My Business has a chilled, laid-back beat. This is about gossiping, talking behind other people’s backs and not listening to either, including when it’s about you. And in following the theme of the last song about knowing who your real friends are he says:
Real ones they don’t talk about you, they talk to you…
The fifth track is crazy, no I mean, it’s literally called, Crazy. This song has verses from an old Gospel Hymn called, Standing In The Need Of Prayer which I loved. Old Gospel Hymn meets an Andy Mineo rap song? Y I used to sing that hymn to my old Psalty’s Praise Kid CD (I wanted to BE a Psalty’s Praise Kid). But back to this song, it’s about needing God in this crazy world. We all need that.
Lookin’ at me like I’m crazy, and I’m crazy, and it’s me oh, Lord.
The next track is called Donuts feat. Phonte and Christon Gray and it’s a delicious song. Sorry, I just really wanted to say that. This rap song talks about donuts and life and it really combines Andy’s fun side with his thought-provoking lyrics.
This one for donuts, this one for all the grownups…
https://youtu.be/MAjOJkGTz7k
The last song on this EP is my favorite, it’s called Shame and GUYS– it has Josh Garrels on it. I love Andy Mineo and Josh Garrels and I feel like my two friends became friends. The music is Josh Garrels-ish and Mineo’s rapping is steady and slow. The choir in this song is perfect. In this one, he shares his personal struggle with pornography and the shame it brought him. It’s a song about how in that debilitating shame, Jesus strengthened him, forgave him, and washed him clean.
Only started tasting freedom when I’m being honest,
And I learn that when I am weak is when I’m seeing God the strongest…
Conclusion
This EP lived up to my expectations, and as I said, I can’t wait for the next two. I really feel like Andy “is coming into his own” with this new music. It’s real, it has reflective and thoughtful lyrics, and it’s still fun and playful too.
Merch can be found here and if you have not gotten or listened to this EP yet then go here.
What is YOUR favorite song from this EP?
Speak your mind...