Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Music Review


Ben Utecht
Ben Utecht



Album length: 12 tracks: 51 minutes, 00 seconds
Street Date: April 28, 2009


Back in 2007m we saw the then-Indianapolis Colts kicker Hunter Smith team up with singer songwriter Chris Wilson to form the acoustic/worship duo Connersvine. This year features another former Indianapolis Colt trying his hand in Christian music. Although the tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals, Ben Utecht, is a solo artist, he owes much of his off-the-field success to Sandi Patty.

The first track off Utecht's self titled debut, "Generations," mixes a basic adult contemporary/worship beat with Utecht's Wayne Watson-like vocals. The result: a modern worship team sound which would have passed in the 90's. The album throws virtually no curveballs, but it tries to with an uneventful duet with Sandi Patty on "We All Bow Down" to add some diversity in the twelve track mix. Throughout the disc there are some nods to 33 Miles and John Waller but nothing here is quite up to even their speed. The piano driven "Here I Am" is one of the album's better songs when the pop rock music gets a solid vocal output from Utecht. The only track which manages to stand out musically is "Daniel," which features some intense moments propelled by an impressively placed piano. However, when Utecht sings the repetitive pre-chorus, the worship rock song turns for the worst leaving one of the would-be-strong songs a little short. "Daniel" also reflects the fatal flaw of the album lyrically. Over the twelve chapters that make up the book of Daniel there are many fascinating events that occur, but Utecht draws from the simplest story as the theme for his song. Cliché-ridden tracks like "Glimpse Of Heaven" and "How Beautiful" are rare on the disc, but the overall complexity of the tracks which accurately praise God is low.

After meeting at Super Bowl XLI, Sandi Patty signed Ben Utecht to her label, Stylos, hoping He would be a champion behind a microphone. But, honestly, his self-titled album would fall far behind Bebo Norman, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, MercyMe, Rush of Fools, Building 429, Warren Barfield, and the list goes on. Although writing assistants Jeremy Camp and Mark Harris help out Ben Utecht's first album and some potential reveals itself, his album is far from a touchdown.

- Review date: 8/19/09, written by Nathaniel Schexnayder of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 

. Record Label: Stylos Records
. Album length: 12 tracks: 51 minutes, 00 seconds
. Street Date: April 28, 2009
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon.com
. Buy It: ChristianBook.com

  1. Generation (4:15)
  2. Yours (4:12)
  3. We All Bow Down (Duet With Sandi Patty) (4:30)
  4. Run To You (3:11)
  5. Here I Am (3:43)
  6. Heal Me (3:41)
  7. So Far Away (4:08)
  8. Rescue Me (3:56)
  9. How Beautiful (4:22)
  10. Daniel (4:41)
  11. Glimpse Of Heaven (4:37)
  12. Passion (Who Am I) (5:54)

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Friday, July 25, 2025
ALBUMS
Anchor & Braille New Mexico [Equal Vision]
B. Tee Told You [Syntax]
Bride Scarecrow Messiah CD Re-Release [Girder]
Homesick Prodigals Different Good (independent)
KDNS After Eden [Syntax]
Olivia Lane Songs About Jesus (Deluxe Edition) [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA [Motown Gospel]
Kevi Morse Kingston We Winning [Syntax]
Pulpit Vomit Hospital Lens [Rottweiler]
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno Dance for Jesus - EP (independent)
Taylor & Co Worship Breakthrough - EP (independent)
Josh Wright LEAD (independent)

SINGLES
abenezer i was lost - Single [Gotee]
Sho Baraka Still Got Faith (ft. L3xdivine) - Single [Syntax]
Gracie Binion Easy To Please - Single [BEC]
Katty Camargo Shine Upon Me - Single (independent)
The CCC Collective Thankful - Single (independent)
C4 Crotona Mr. Gritty - Single [Syntax]
EJ Swavv & Nickwit2Ks Growth - Single [Syntax]
Forrest Frank GOD'S GOT MY BACK - Single [River House / 10K]
Andrew Gonoude Closer To You - Single (independent)
Noah Paul Harrison Oh Lord My God (Live) - Single [Bethel]
J.Solo All I Have (ft. Kaboose & MotionPlus) - Single [Syntax]
Kings Kaleidoscope + Kings Kaleidoscope Hymns Amazing Grace - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Life In Me - Single [BEC]
Lecrae Bless You (feat. Torey D'Shaun) - Single [Reach]
TobyMac God Did It (feat. Jamie MacDonald) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Hunter Plake Down to Earth - Single [BEC]
QEW JOYXFIX (ft. Stevie Rizo) - Single [Syntax]
Naomi Raine God Will Work It Out - Single [Tribl]
Saints in Exile Bad Vibes - Single [Syntax]
Xander Sallows infinite - Single [DREAM]
Silent Reflection Left Me for Dead - Single [Syntax]
John Stratton The Body and the Blood - Single [Pure Mosaic Services]
Regina Vandereijk You're the Light - Single (independent)
Joel Vaughn Feel It - Single [DREAM]
Zach Williams Killed A Man - Single [Provident]
Zauntee Jesus Down In Florida - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Bride Scarecrow Messiah Vinyl [Girder]

DVD
Jordan Smith The People's Hymnal DVD [Gaither]

This Saturday, July 26, 2025
SINGLES
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno What Would You Do? - Single (independent)

Next Friday, August 1, 2025
ALBUMS
Crash Rickshaw Big Sir - EP [Velvet Blue]
McKamey Legacy Holding to Truth [Horizon]
Ordained Thunder Roar [Girder]
V1 Worship Archives [DREAM Worship]

SINGLES
Dan Bremnes Human - Single [Curb]
Lauren Daigle Let It Be A Hallelujah - Single [Centricity]
Sleeping At Last Believe - Single (independent)

VINYL
Disciple Attack! (Limited Run Vinyl) Vinyl [Girder]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Get all of JFH's indie compilation now totally free!
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images