The highly anticipated follow-up to Almost There, MercyMe's blockbuster 2001 release, pushes the boundaries of modern worship music, giving new range and breadth to this inescapable new genre. Spoken For offers 11 eloquent tracks expressing love for the Divine without the repetitive modern worship format or reliance on empty praise lingo to make its point. Whereas Almost There was a compilation of songs, many of them eight years old, the new album is very much a work unto itself. The band co-wrote all of the tracks, on each case recasting the anthemic pop-rock in a fresher, more contemporary setting. On Spoken For, MercyMe get topical: the bittersweet rejoicing of "There's a Reason" has its roots in the September 11th tragedy, its message a reminder that God is in control. "Crazy" is anthemic in its expression of devotion to the Savior, but it never crosses the line into sanctimony. The closing track, "All Because of This," continues the theme of finding joy in life despite outward circumstances, while "The Love of God," with its simple piano accompaniment, is reverent and hymnlike. MercyMe have issued another superb collection, and that's no idle praise.