Mark Heard never quite fit in as an artist. For the Christian audience, many deemed him too secular. On the other hand, much of the secular crowd considered him too spiritual. However, the fact that Heard straddled his lyrics in between the two camps made his musical offerings special, and nowhere does this show better than with his album Dry Bones Dance.

The album opens with the fun and upbeat "Rise From The Ruins," which introduces the album with the lyrics, "Nobody asks to be born / Nobody wishes to die / Everybody whiles away the interim time / Sworn to rise from the ruins by and by," and gives listeners a taste of the themes and the country folk rock sound that Heard will feature throughout the record. The title track continues the energy as Heard sings of a world filled with miracles that he wants to experience in reality, but can only find in his dreams. "House of Broken Dreams" takes the tempo down a slight notch and, in light of the previous track, yearns for peace in this troubled world, while "Nobody's Looking" thematically calls to mind Larry Norman's "Righteous Rocker" and urges us to honor God with our actions.

The brilliant lyrics are clear just upon reading them, but Heard's vocal delivery of each and every line elevates the impact of the already powerful words. His conviction and passion come through clearly and make each phrase sink in a little bit more. Even though so much depth comes before and after, "Strong Hand Of Love" is a shining moment and offers possibly the record's strongest lyrics, my personal favorite of which is "Time marches away like a lost platoon." Heard calls the listener to focus on God's provision in life, regardless of personal circumstances and emotions in a given moment. Another spiritual highlight, the most overtly Christian song on the album (and this reviewer's favorite track), "Lonely Road," considers Jesus's life and His countercultural, mind-blowing ministry, "Not taking note of the fools or the wise / Being a pawn of time and chance / Not making vows when the flood waters rise / Is simpler than nails through your hands." Michael Been also treats the listener with a stellar guitar solo towards the end of the song. Other moments like the hammered dulcimer on "Waiting For A Reason," the fiddle on "Our Restless Hearts," and the kalimba on "Everything Is Alright," further exemplify that Dry Bones Dance has plenty to offer musically in addition to the lyrical genius.

As special as the album is, its lowest point comes from saving the two longest songs for last on an already lengthy album. The touching love song, "Mercy Of The Flame," serves as a good penultimate track, but the closer, "Fire," lasts over seven minutes and only offers two verses apart from its simple chorus. The 2021 remaster of this album includes a demo of a beautiful song called "Waiting For Dry Bones To Dance" that is slightly slower but, in my opinion, would function as a worthy substitute for "Fire" to close the album.

Still, Dry Bones Dance remains the greatest album from one of the greatest songwriters in Christian music (and arguably beyond). From start to finish, the record features talented instrumentation, sonic cohesion that is unique but not sickening, and masterful lyrics that do not shy away from tough questions about living the Christian life in a broken world. The album is an essential listen for anyone who enjoys thought-provoking lyrics or is interested in the history of Christian music. While I wish we would not have lost Mark so soon, I sure am thankful he left behind the masterpieces he did, among which Dry Bones Dance proves itself the greatest.