TYLER BRADEN - More Than A Prayer - Warner Music Nashville

Cutting his teeth on the music circuit between his admirable role as a firefighter and as a then emerging talent, Warner Music Nashville recording artist Tyler Braden paved his path with rollicking performances while finding his voice and the type of songs that he wanted to become the definitions of who he is as an artist.

Fast-forward to the here and now, and he’s notched a whopping 260 million streams to date and finds his latest release, “Devil I Know,” landing with strong impact on country radio.

On the heels of that most current success, he now releases “More Than A Prayer.”

The song, written by Devin Dawson, Heath Warren, and Sam Martinez, continues to open Braden’s next chapter with a mud-stomping, Appalachian induced rhythmic drive that infuses mountain-laced aesthetics into his grit-filled honesty as he cries out to Jesus as a last refuge to try and mend his heartbreak...though skeptical that his prayers will even work to heal him this time.

“Jesus, Jesus, yes she really done a number on me,” he paints as the reason for his fractured heart as he further admits that he’s torn to pieces and tortured with a new kind of lonely while highlighting Jesus’ Biblical miracles, only to then apologize to the ultimate healer when he confesses, “No miracle of yours is gonna work this time.”

Driving into the lift of the chorus, he adds depth to the explanation for his aching heart and pain induced frame of mind through his inabilities to get over her and his disbelief that even prayer can help navigate this type of heartbreak:

“Cause this ain’t no take my heart to the riverbank

She ain’t no memory I can just wash away

Cause I’ve been trying to get to getting over her

And If I’m ever gonna get there

It’s gonna take a whole lot more than a prayer”

“I’d go through hell and back just to get her back again,” he painfully cries through the second verse before leading into a redemptive type of punch with the final chorus, instigating a clap along moment as he takes the listener to church, seeking enlightenment in his last-ditch effort to cure his brokenness.

Interestingly, “More Than A Prayer” finds Tyler Braden absolutely in the middle of a prayer himself, refreshingly adding an incredible intrigue to the lyrics. Though disbelieving that it will even work, the fact that he’s leaning into the very one who could fix his ailing heart adds bold definition to the very essence of what it truly means to have a Christian type of faith; relying on the healer whether you think He can work another miracle or not.

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis)