Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

It seems like only yesterday that Joy Williams released her debut album (it was actually 2001) and already here’s a second. The perfect teenager, Joy Williams is photogenic, talented and a warm, lovely person who clearly has years of ministry lying ahead of her. Having now graduated from High School, she is concentrating her efforts to create the kind of music that will knock her audience off their feet. There are plenty of other female singers around like Charmaine, Ginny Owens, Jaci Velasquez, Nichole Nordeman or Rachael Lampa so finding a bit of room to establish yourself in the crowded CCM scene is never going to be easy however ‘By Surprise’ neatly does the trick. Her catchy pop melodies have been combined with a slightly edgier production than her debut and perhaps Joy is just beginning to find her musical identity. Standouts to these ears include the guitar-driven title cut and nicely groovy “Every Day”. There are also a couple of strong emotional ballads that will lend themselves to church performances. “The Love Of The Lord Endures” is an opportunity for Joy to demonstrate her vocal talents to simple piano accompaniment whilst “Every Moment” sounds a little more like something Ginny Owens might have done. Aside from these standouts, the rest of the album tends to bland out into the ordinary. This is not the album that is going to break her big. Workmanlike, well produced and with some high points, it’s ultimately a little disappointing.

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