''Lay It Down'' is the second studio album by

Contemporary Christian music Contemporary Christian music, also known as CCM, Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christian faith and s ...

ian

Jennifer Knapp Jennifer Lynn Knapp (born April 12, 1974) is an American-Australian folk rock, and contemporary Christian musician. She is best known for her first single "Undo Me" from her debut album, ''Kansas'' (1998), and the song "A Little More" from her ...

. It was released on February 29, 2000 by

Gotee Records Gotee Records is a record label founded by Christian hip hop performer Toby McKeehan (known professionally as ''TobyMac''), Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood. The label began as a production company. At the time of the label's founding, McKeehan wa ...

. The album was nominated for "Best Rock Gospel Album" at the

43rd Grammy Awards The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 21, 2001, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Several artists earned three awards on the night. Steely Dan's haul included Album of the Year for ''Two Against Nature''. U2 too ...

in 2001. It peaked at No. 1 on ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

s Top Christian Albums chart on March 17, 2000 and No. 77 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart.

Critical reception

Writing for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, Steve Losey comments, "On her second release ''Lay It Down'', Knapp shows the kind of artistic growth expected from a seasoned veteran. One minute it's

Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...

in a coffe shop courtesy of 'A Little More,' The next you're tapping your toe to a snappy

Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three li ...

vibe on 'Lay It Down.' This disc is rich in texture and lyrically passionate." Ryan B Key reviews the album for ''Jesus Freak Hideout'' and gives it 4½ out of a possible 5 stars. He writes, "''Lay it Down'' is an album that showcases the true meaning of Christian rock music and some of Knapp's best songwriting to date." He concludes his review by saying, "''Lay it Down'' is an excellent album featuring some of the best songwriting available,

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...

." Paul Nicholls of ''

Cross Rhythms Cross Rhythms is a Christian media organisation based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. It operates an FM and online radio station, produces radio shows sent internationally, and its website has resources about contemporary Christian music. Hi ...

'' gives this album a 10 out of a possible 10 and concludes his review with, "My verdict? Excellent, well worth a play and a privilege to listen to."

Track listing

Musicians

– vocals, acoustic guitar (1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 10), electric guitar (6) * David Alan –

Hammond B3 organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs ...

(4, 6),

Wurlitzer electric piano The Wurlitzer electronic piano is an electric piano manufactured and marketed by Wurlitzer from the mid-1950s to mid-1980s. Sound is generated by striking a metal reed with a hammer, which induces an electric current in a pickup. It is conceptua ...

(5) * Larry Hall –

melodica The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usual ...

(7) * George Coccini – electric guitar (1), acoustic guitar (1) * Mark Townsend– electric guitar (1), acoustic guitar (1, 5, 7, 8, 9) * Tyler Burkum – electric guitars (2, 3, 4, 6),

baritone guitar The baritone guitar is a guitar with a longer scale length, typically a larger body, and heavier internal bracing, so it can be tuned to a lower pitch. Gretsch, Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, ESP Guitars, PRS Guitars, Music Man, Danelectro, Schec ...

(3) *

Chris Thile Christopher Scott Thile (; born February 20, 1981) is an American mandolinist, singer, songwriter, composer, and radio personality, best known for his work in the progressive acoustic trio Nickel Creek and the acoustic folk and progressive blue ...

–

mandolin A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...

(8, 9) * Tony Lucido – bass (1-8) * Greg Herrington – drums (1-4, 6, 8, 9), programming (4, 8), percussion (7) * Todd Collins – drum programming (5) * Javier Solis – percussion (1, 4, 6, 7, 8) * Mark Stuart – percussion (2) *

Margaret Becker Margaret Becker (born July 17, 1959) is an American Christian rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She has had twenty-one No. 1 Christian radio hits, won four Dove Awards, and been nominated for four Grammy Awards. Biography Becker was born ...

– backing vocals and arrangements (9)

Nashville String Machine Nashville String Machine is a musical collective comprising session musicians, based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Members of the group have been credited on records dating from 1972 to the present, although the group was formally formed ...

(Tracks 1 & 6) * Tom Howard – arrangements and conductor (1, 6) * Carl Gorodetzky – contractor * Pamela Sixfin – string leader * John Catchings and Bob Mason – cello * Jack Jezzro – double bass * Jim Grosjean, Gary Vanosdale and Kristen Wilkinson – viola * David Angell, David Davidson, Gerald Greer, Alan Umstead, Catherine Umstead, Mary Kathryn Vanosdale and Karen Winkelmann – violin

Production

Toby McKeehan Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known f ...

– executive producer * Mark Stuart – producer * Jennifer Knapp – producer * Mike McGlaflin – A&R * Brad Talbott – design * Kerri McKeehan-Stuart – photography * Steven Thomas – management * Recorded at Castle Studios (

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

) and Dark Horse Studios (

Franklin, Tennessee Franklin is a city in and county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. About south of Nashville, it is one of the principal cities of the Nashville metropolitan area and Middle Tennessee. As of 2020, its population was 83,454 ...

). * Mixed at The Sound Kitchen (Nashville, Tennessee) Track information and credits verified from the album's liner notes.

Charts

References

{{Authority control 2000 albums Jennifer Knapp albums Gotee Records albums