'God and a Girl' - Joy Whitlock

What a nice surprise this CD was. Joy's outing with God and a Girl was a very well written musical journey. Joy is a great storyteller and she manages to draw the listener into her songs with a great mix of styles reminiscent of Bob Dylan, Alanis Morissette, Sarah Mclachlan and Kate Minor.

I found her songs to be heartfelt, emotional, and very insightful. I also have to say that the mucianship was very noteworthy with some interesting twist's both musically and vocally.

For those of you who you like soulful ballads, light rock styled folk and country, God and a Girl is worth a listen.

Joy's story is moving in that she comes from modest roots with her father being a minister in Mississippi. Her family was always on the move, going from town to town while she was young and Joy was content with this until her teens, when she strayed from the flock so to speak.

“I tried to fill the emptiness I felt with anything that numbed or felt like love – drugs… promiscuity… the usual stuff,” she explained in her biography.

Her journey, like so many others, is one of heartbreak and struggle, but it is also filled with a story of love and redemption. You'll find those themes very much reflected in the way she writes and sings.

God and a Girl offers something for everyone because at least one song will touch on a part of your own journey. For me, some of the stand-out tracks were "Psalm," "Fake," "Testify," and "Not Through With You" ... just to name a few.

Joy Whitlock's national debut offering is top notch and well worth a listen. After that listen, you'll find that God and a Girl will make a great addition to any music collection. This is only the beginning for Joy. There will be great things to come as she continues on her journey.

'God and a Girl' - Joy Whitlock - The Basics

• Style: Contemporary Pop
• 14 Songs
• Released: September 16, 2008 - INO Records