Empty & Beautiful

Empty & Beautiful is the debut studio album by Matt Maher, released on April 8, 2008. It was his first album with Essential Records. It reached No. 168 on the Billboard 200.[1] The album also debuted at No. 6 on the Top Heatseekers charts.

Empty & Beautiful
Studio album by Matt Maher
Released	April 8, 2008
Genre	Contemporary Christian music, worship
Length	52:38
Label	Essential
Producer	Matt Maher, Ed Cash
Matt Maher chronology
Overflow (2006) Empty & Beautiful (2008) Alive Again (2009)

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
CCM Magazine	[3]
Christian Music Review	[3][4]
Cross Rhythms	[5]
Jesus Freak Hideout	[6]

Allmusic's Jared Johnson noted the album "may sound very familiar."[2] Also, he said "his music is on par with Tomlin, and even Matt Redman, but it sounds so much like them that listeners may not discover the true depth of his talents."[2]

CCM Magazine's Mike Parker evoked the album that "sounds effortless, familiar and inviting, even though it plumbs the depths of theological truth."[3]

Christian Music Review's Jay Heilman stated how much he "enjoyed it and was lifted up by his message, his honesty and his conviction to put forth an album that would personally challenge me to re-analyze my life and ask myself the simple question."[4]

Cross Rhythms's Julie Porter alluded to how Maher's music is "very much from the same kind of musical template as Chris Tomlin and to some extent Casting Crowns".[5] She summed up the album that it "is an album bringing us great music from a fine new singer/songwriter."[5]

Jesus Freak Hideout's David Taylor stated this album "is everything we've come to expect from recent modern worship albums: CCM radio-friendly pop with a hint of rock, piano ballads with lush string sections, and simple congregation-friendly lyrics. The only real weakness to this album is it stays a little too far inside that box to distinguish itself from the other artists in the genre."[6]

Track listing

Empty & Beautiful

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Your Grace Is Enough"	Matt Maher	4:25
2.	"Look Like a Fool"	Maher, Bill Staine	3:33
3.	"For Your Glory"	Maher	3:54
4.	"As It Is in Heaven"	Maher, Ed Cash	4:09
5.	"I Rejoice"	Maher	4:14
6.	"Maranatha (Come Again)"	Maher	3:22
7.	"Great Things"	Maher	4:19
8.	"Leave a Light On"	Maher	4:48
9.	"Shine Like the Son"	Maher	3:13
10.	"Unwavering"	Maher	5:59
11.	"Lay It Down"	Maher, Brenton Brown	5:26
12.	"Empty & Beautiful"	Maher	4:44
Total length:			52:38

Charts

Album

Chart (2011)	Peak positions
US Billboard 200	168[7]
US Billboard Christian Albums	12[8]
US Billboard Heatseekers Albums	6[9]

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions
		US Christian
2009	"Empty & Beautiful"	47

References

1. "Matt Maher Album & Song Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
2. Johnson, Jared. "Review: Empty & Beautiful". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
3. Parker, Mike (2008-09-29). "Review: Empty & Beautiful". CCM Magazine thru New Release Tuesday. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
4. Heilman, Jay (2008-04-07). "Review: Empty & Beautiful". Christian Music Review. Archived from the original on 2008-07-23. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
5. Porter, Julie (2008-11-12). "Review: Empty & Beautiful". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
6. Taylor, David (2008-03-29). "Review: Empty & Beautiful". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
7. Billboard (2012-01-13). "Matt Maher Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
8. Billboard (2012-01-13). "Matt Maher Album & Song Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
9. Billboard (2012-01-14). "Matt Maher Album & Song Chart History: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-01-14.