Singer/songwriter Todd Carter Koeppen (http://www.toddcarterkoeppen.com) has a voice that is perfect for singing pleasant '70s-styled love songs. Soft and heartwarming, Koeppen has that Golden Age of AM Radio appeal. But girls aren't on Koeppen's mind. When he thanks God on the record's sleeve notes, he really means it; it's not just there to put a smile on mom and dad's face.
One of the best qualities of Contemporary Christian music is the freedom it has to bounce from one style to the other. While nobody is preventing artists from any genre to switch leagues and experiment, only in today's Christian scene will that attitude be not only commercially accepted but encouraged as well. Koeppen certainly takes advantage of that, absorbing acoustic folk, world music, country, Gospel, and blues. Koeppen will certainly give you your money's worth if sonic depth is what you're seeking.
The record opens slowly with the unplugged beauty of "Right in Your Way," which has a strong early '70s vibe. "I come alive/When I feel your presence," Koeppen sings, his light, fragile vocals as comforting as Todd Rundgren's on "Hello, It's Me."
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While non-Christians may feel that there's nothing of interest for them here, Koeppen is not your typical Christian artist; "Catch Me" isn't simply a series of tunes praising God's glory.
Koeppen is a storyteller, sharing moving real-life experiences, either of his own ("The Halo Halo Song," a bouncy trip to the Philippines) or that of others ("Sinj Went Runnin,'" a tale of an orphaned Cambodian boy who escaped his Buddhist guardians to become a Christian).
Add this to the list of the year's finest LPs.
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