Sarah Kroger has been building anticipation for her 2024 album, A New Reality; now the final product is out, and she didn’t disappoint. The 10-song album delivers on the promises of the first two singles, “No Filter” and “Still Yours,” bringing us a faithful record that’s just brimming with religious themes, faith exploration, and Catholic introspection.
Kroger takes her songwriting to a new peak in A New Reality, bringing us a variety of songs in her contemporary style that show off the strength and range of her voice. There’s a wide range in subject matter as well, with “No Filter” feeling like a deeply personal exploration of faith, while “Communion” and “Glory Be” would be right at home in a setting of community worship.
One of the best tracks on the 40-minute album is “Human,” a song that speaks to the Catholic teaching on the inherent dignity that each of us is owed. Here, Kroger celebrates personhood in the image of God, suggesting the gift of life is the ends rather than the means. This gentle song brings to mind one of our favorite quotes from Pope Benedict XVI: “It is good that you exist.”
The titular track, “A New Reality,” is another excellent track that feels as though it was released for the ongoing National Eucharistic Revival in the US. It speaks to the budding of one’s faith and seeing the world in a different light once our eyes have been opened to God.
Our personal favorite song from A New Reality was “Something Greater.” With an extraordinarily catchy hook, this song keeps playing in our heads long after the song has finished. This is a faith anthem that feels like it belongs in a grand arena and with the exceptional background vocals she layed down, it would fit in well with a choral group.
In a video interview on her YouTube channel, Sarah shared her excitement about releasing A New Reality and explained why she considers this a very special release:
“I think I’m so excited about this record, because I’ve never been so present in a group of songs. As a writer, my physical voice, as a worship leader, as an artist… I’ve never been more present in a collection of songs as I am on these songs.”
Sarah Kroger’s entire album, A New Reality, is up on her YouTube channel, but it can also be found on Apple Music, Spotify, or just about any music streaming service. Be sure to follow her to keep up with all her releases.
And today we celebrate...