Brett Eldredge, “Holy Water” | Track Review

Country singer/songwriter Brett Eldredge provided fans with an early Christmas gift with an enjoyable, well-rounded single, “Holy Water.”

“I

got used to broken hearts / Watchin’ my world fall apart / Didn’t know I needed you / But now I do, now I do.” Aww, that’s so sweet ! On “Holy Water”, country singer/songwriter Brett Eldredge keeps things relatively brief, to the tune of 2:45.  The good news is, Eldredge makes brevity sound so sweet.  “Holy Water” commences with rich piano, along with some light percussive touches – some hi-hat and tambourine.  This initial minimal instrumentation is sufficient – ample fuel for Eldredge’s fire. Once Brett starts singing, he’s ‘on-point,’ serving up beautiful, robust, full-bodied vocals. Since first hearing him, I’ve always ‘hearted’ his tone.  He commands throughout “Holy Water,” upping the ante within the final 45 seconds – the most exciting portion of the record.

Revisiting the arrangement and production ( Dave Cobb), “Holy Water” isn’t merely a piano ballad. No, “Holy Water” adds organ, giving the country joint a dash of gospel music – hallelujah ! A record that percolates as it progresses, additional instrumentation includes soulful backing vocals, guitar, and of course, the full drum kit.  Also playing a key role in the success of this single is the theme and lyrics. The songwriting – Eldredge, Heather Morgan, and Mark Trussell – is #winning, particularly the chorus, by far the most memorable section:

“You are my holy water
You are my river thee
Wash me away and take me higher
‘Cause somethin’ ‘bout your love just sets me free
Somethin’ ‘bout your love just sets me free.”

That holy water isn’t associated with God, but rather, his significant other – his love!

---

Final Thoughts  

Brett Eldredge provided his fans with an early Christmas gift.  “Holy Water” is an enjoyable, well-rounded country record from start to finish.  Great vocals, solid songwriting, and strong production work earns “Holy Water” high marks.

---

Brett Eldredge • “Holy Water” • Warner Music Nashville • 12.24.21
[: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay, Warner Music Nashville]

---