Dara Maclean, “Blameless”

Contemporary Christian singer/songwriter Dara Maclean’s latest album, the criminally under-appreciated release Wanted, featured a beautiful acoustic ballad called Blameless, a track about the restorative power of salvation and forgiveness God offers us. Well, Maclean recently re-recorded the track, giving it an full arrangement and an edgier delivery. The end result is an irresistible, southern gospel-tinged power ballad not unlike tracks by Needtobreathe and Big Daddy Weave.

More than the fresh rearrangement and passionate vocal–when Maclean slides effortlessly into the chorus, joined by that gospel choir, well, all we need are angels and a sweet chariot to take us home–the power of Maclean’s Blameless lies in the gospel truth of its lyrics. What manner of love is this, she sings, that You would lay down Your life / You paid the price, the sacrifice for redemption / Now I am determined to know Christ and Him crucified. As we say in Filipino, umpisa pa lang, ulam na (literally translated, the start of the song alone has all the meat, but figuratively, it means the opening lines are satisfying already). The way Maclean captures the heart of the worshiper is absolutely brilliant, and that is the power of Blameless.