Louder Than The Music

Oregon based Shawn McDonald will release his fourth album 'Closer' on 22nd March 2011. While most of the songs were self-written, Shawn also shares several writing credits with Brandon Heath, Joy Williams, Ben Glover, and Josh Garrels, with the album being produced by Christopher Stevens (tobyMac, Sanctus Real). Title track and first single 'Closer' was released to radio in October and is being played on a number of stations across the US.

Shawn entered the music scene in 2004 with 'Simply Nothing'. The singer/songwriter has since released two additional recordings 'Risen' (2006) and 'Roots' (2008). McDonald wrote most of the 13 songs on 'Closer' while "going through it" - a painful few years that brought about the kind of brokenness that brings one Closer to God. He hopes the songs - and his own mistakes and heartaches - can help others who are hurting, by pointing them to the One who heals.

"I don't ever wish anybody to go through what I've been through," he says. "But regardless of my pain, on days when I would be like Where are you, God?, I would remember that He is faithful. Even in my brokenness, there was always a deeper feeling of hope. God was showing me immense mercy, even as he was rocking my faith to the core. It was like he allowed things to crumble just so he could rebuild it all. God has redeemed me, and He is healing my heart. So I hope this record can be a redemption story for people, that God can use it to speak and bring hope. Because that's what He's done for me."

'Closer' Track Listing:
01. Better Way
02. Hope
03. Closer
04. Faithful
05. The Space Between Us
06. Something Real
07. Control
08. Don't Give Up
09. Rise
10. Eyes Forward
11. Pursue
12. Storms
13. Mystery