On his latest full-length album, entitled Hope, the message of compassion is evident throughout. Thematically, the album contrasts doubt and trials with faith and redemption in Christ’s salvation. Moving easily from personal snapshots to intimate worship songs, the album plays from start to finish as a tapestry of what it means to be the Church by loving God and loving his people. One of the most powerful moments on the record is “Calm My Heart,” a song that echoes Mark 9:24: “I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief.”
“I wrote this song for two dear friends.” Wes explains. “Both are fathers of young daughters who deal with extremely tough medical issues, one with type 2 diabetes and the other with an intense eating disorder. I’ve spent hours with both of them, listening as they told me about staying up late at night, praying for God to bring healing to their daughters. In that dark place, where so much doubt sets in, often the best thing we can do is cry out, ‘God, teach me to have faith!’ I think that verse in Mark is one of the most honest and beautiful statements in all of Scripture. There is so much to gain when we admit our weakness and lean into our Father.”
Stylistically, Wes weaves together the sonic qualities of bands like Death Cab for Cutie and Coldplay, blending them with the lyrical depth of songwriters like Sara Groves and Andrew Peterson. His love for acoustic instruments comes alive in surprising ways on anthems like “Open My Heart,” while songs like “Help Me To Know You” paint elegant sonic landscapes with synths, samples, and electric guitars.
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