CD Reviews
CD Review: Threads of Mercy (Ivan Parker)
This latest release from Ivan Parker is full of good songs and quality background vocals from Chris Allman, Lauren Talley Alvey, Roger Talley, Reggie & Ladye Love Smith.
Til the Shackles Fall Off is a song about praising God continually no matter what you are going through.
God’s in the Middle of It is a song of encouragement. No matter what you are going through, God truly is in the middle of it.
Jim Brady wrote Don’t Hang Your Head and Cry. Another song of encouragement for those who are going through trials.
Silent Prayer is a slow story in song. The first verse talks about a man who was born deaf who came to know the Savior. “Though he cannot speak a word, he always knows that he is heard.” How beautiful! You do not need to shout to be heard. Just whisper His name, and He is right there.
Sue C. Smith wrote, When Heaven Shakes the House, a song about true revival. “Lives are changed; souls are saved; you know what I’m talking about.”
How do you know grace, peace, love, etc.? Kenna West, Lee Black, and Cliff Duren tells how in This Is How We Know.
Kenna West co-wrote On the Solid Rock I Stand with Gerald Crabb and Don Poythress. There is nothing to worry about when you’re standing on the solid rock.
He Touched Me is a song most everyone is familiar with. I like the piano on this song.
Wings is a song about getting my wings to leave this earth.
The CD ends with the slow, How Much Longer. This is a plea to those who are waiting to say Yes to Jesus. “How much longer will you wait?” Please don’t wait until it is too late.
CD Review: Fredericksburg (Channing Eleton)
The latest release from Channing Eleton features nine original songs written by Channing.
The CD begins with the uptempo Launching Out Into the Deep and then slows down for the title track, which talks about finding Jesus in Fredericksburg.
Big Top is about revival!
Modern Day Prodigal needs no description.
“I want to give you much more than you ever prayed for. Bring to Me Isaac and place him at My feet.” Nothing is worth holding on to. God would like to take your dreams and give you a much bigger one than you could ever dream of.
Pour Down the Peace is a prayer for just that: peace.
Keep On Movin’ talks about moving on with God in spite of what the world throws at us.
“No matter how far you have gone, you haven’t gone too far that the love of God can’t reach you right where you are. … God’s love is Bigger Than the Sun.”
“The Silence of God doesn’t mean you are forsaken.” Hang in there. He has promised never to leave you, nor forsake you. This is just a test.
CD Review: The Horn Family
I first became aware of The Horn Family a year or so ago but I was instantly impressed. This CD is top notch both musically and vocally. A mixture of country, some soul, and a bit progressive, this group will still appeal to many Southern Gospel fans.
I’ve Got It is a Pentecostal song about receiving the Holy Ghost.
The tempo slows down for a beautiful song Tracy Horn wrote, titled Rise Above the Fall. A country sound with a good message. “In all the tough times I have seen, greater is He within than He that’s after me.”
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t need “Victory through the name and the blood of Jesus.”
He Called Me Brother is pretty progressive music-wise. Jesus said that the one who does the Father’s will is His mother and brother and sister. How amazing is it that you and I can be Christ’s brother or sister!
Mary Magdalene (Why You Crying) is my least favorite song on the project but this is my preference. It’s not my musical taste but it is a song of redemption. If you know the story of Mary Magdalene, you know that she was despised in most circles, yet Jesus loved her and revealed Himself first to her after He arose from the tomb.
For the Life of Me is another slow, country-sounding song. “He gave His life for the life of me.” What a Savior!
The CD ends with an a cappella version of the old song, Lights of Home.
Other songs include Peace Everlasting, Love Like Rain, and It’s All in Jesus.
CD Review: Forever/80th Anniversary Recording (Blackwood Brothers)
Billy Blackwood is keeping classic quartet music alive with his current lineup of The Blackwood Brothers.
You Can Find What I Found is a neat-sounding song with the tenor leading and the rest echoing. It changes tempo on the chorus.
Dianne Wilkinson wrote the toe-tapping, I’ll Fly Away Home. A great quartet song.
The tempo slows down as Wayne Little sings Forever Forgiven.
Walkin’ and Talkin’ is an old J.D. Sumner that the Blackwood Brothers brought back for this recording.
Long Gone is a mediocre, uptempo song.
Heaven Will Be Mine Someday has somewhat of a ’50s or ’60s feel.
When I Cross to the Other Side of Jordan is an old song written by Ed O’Neal.
“I will give my all for Him who gave His all for me for I Know in Whom I Have Believed.” Amen!
Butch Owens sings the uptempo Oh, No You Don’t.
The CD ends with the classic Dear Jesus, Abide With Me.
Concert/CD Review: Battle Cry (The Kingsmen)
Friday night, I had the blessing of seeing the Kingsmen once again. I was surprised at how many of the songs they sang were off of their new CD since I typically expect to hear a fair number of old favorites. I was not disappointed, however. This CD has some great songs as well.
This is the second time I have seen this particular group in concert, and I am impressed with both Bob Sellers and Chris Jenkins. They are doing a great job. People talk about the Kingsmen’s heyday in the 1980s but I’ve never liked the Kingsmen as much as I have in the last ten or so years. This group is no exception.
The concert began with Beautiful City, an uptempo song about Heaven.
Then they sang one of their old songs, Meet Me at the Table.
Come and Dine is taken from the story where Jesus cooked fish for the disciples and fed them when they had been fishing all day but caught nothing. The second verse talks about arriving Heaven and being invited to come and dine at the Banquet Table.
Scripture says that God orders the steps of the righteous. I’ve Never Seen the Righteous Forsaken reminds us that God is in control no matter what you are going through. God will supply your every need.
Randy Crawford introduced the group and then they sang I Know, which talks about the joy of knowing you’re saved. It is possible to know.
A Kingsmen concert would not be complete without including their classic, Glory Road.
They included a summary of their old hit Excuses and then Randy Crawford sang a song he wrote, Here I Stand Amazed.
Oh Yes I Am is the current #1 song across America. This was the first I’d heard it but I love it. Uptempo, this song is an encouraging message about going Home. Chris Jenkins puts energy into this song.
After a brief intermission, they came back to sing the title track from their new CD, Battle Cry. This is a great song. There is a time to rest but there is a time to answer the battle cry.
Faith is self-explanatory. Great harmony to some encouraging lyrics.
Ray Reese sang Healing Stream and then they sang another old song, When My Feet Touch the Streets of Gold.
Cross of Grace is a powerful song about the cross.
They did a great a cappella arrangement of There is a Fountain Filled With Blood and ended with the chorus of their very popular song from the 1980s, Stand Up.
Songs not sung in concert:
Daryl Williams and Scott Inman wrote the toe-tapping quartet song, He Took Away My Burden.
It Should Have Rained is an interesting song about the Crucifixion.
CD Review: HYMNS: the A Cappella Sessions (The Nelons)
I am not typically a fan of a cappella recordings but this CD from the Nelons is a keeper.
They did a brave move by starting the CD with The Hallelujah Chorus but it does the job in capturing your attention so you desire to hear the rest of the project.
It may grow on me but I am not particularly fond of their rendition of There is a Fountain. I expect some will like it though because it is different. It does showcase their tight harmony.
I hadn’t heard Do Unto Others before but they put a lot of soul into this arrangement.
Then the tempo slows down for a medley of Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior and Just as I Am.
They did a rousing rendition of Keep On the Firing Line/Onward Christian Soldiers.
Other songs include: Tis So Sweet; Hallelujah, What a Savior; Since Jesus Passed By; and I Need Thee Every Hour.
CD Review: Here Comes Sunday (Wilburn & Wilburn)
Wilburn & Wilburn has become a group that I look forward to hearing as soon as a new CD is released. If you have heard their previous releases, this one is just as good vocally, musically, and lyrically. Unfortunately, the type is too small and the color too light to read who wrote the songs but the songs are good and well-written.
This CD begins with the title track, which is a song of hope. No matter what you’re going through, Here Comes Sunday.
Jonathan Wilburn sings Funeral Plans. This song is about a man who is dying but he’s not worried. His house is in order, he’s been faithful, and now he plans to die praising the Lord.
Joseph is a song about Mary’s husband–the one who raised Jesus as his own son. What must it have been like for him to have married a woman who was with child by the Holy Spirit? Yet he bore it admirably, obeying God’s command to take Mary as his wife regardless what others thought.
Nobody Like Jesus reminds us that we’ve never seen anybody like Jesus. If you haven’t received Him into your heart, I hope you will do so today.
“Every Scar has a story to tell.” This song begins with describing scars a boy may have and the stories behind them. It moves on to the scars that Jesus bore on our behalf.
Help Me reminds us that there are people with much worse needs than our own. We need God to show us how to help those people.
If These Old Walls Could Talk is the story of a man who went back to the church he grew up in. He imagines all the stories that would be told if those walls could talk.
The tempo slows down as Jordan Wilburn sings A Man Like Me. “If he can use some rugged wood and those three old rusty nails, … the fallen walls inside a pagan Roman jail, … a storm-tossed fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee, he can use a simple, searching, wounded, hurting, broken man like me.”
When you come to the Lord, Everything’s New. A great reminder.
Across the Miles is one of my favorite songs right now. Not a new song but the older I get, the more it means to me to know that people who love me are praying for me.
They also included two classics on this CD: I’m Bound for That City and Heaven’s Jubilee.
CD Review: Song of Noel (Donna King)
I’ve heard the name Donna King for years but this is the first I have really heard her, and I must say I am impressed. This CD has a nice mix of new songs and old carols. She sings each song with feeling that matches the lyrics. I grew up listening to Barbara Streisand’s Christmas record, and this reminds me of that somewhat.
The CD begins with a hyped, soulful arrangement of Joy to the World.
The tempo slows way down for Little Altar Boy, a song about someone who is gone astray and is asking for prayer.
“So that earth could go to Heaven, Heaven Came to Earth.” A great way to say it.
Give Me This Night is a song from Mary’s perspective as she looked at her newborn child who would way too quickly become a man.
Donna put some jazz into My Favorite Things.
Zane and Donna wrote the title Song of Noel.
Everyone knows the classic Silent Night.
Christmas Instead talks about the things that crowd our minds and stress us out, causing some to lose sight of the real meaning of Christmas.
Donna’s vocal talents really show on Ave Maria and O Holy Night. The only thing that kept this from getting five stars was feeling like she went a bit overboard on showing off her vocals on this last song but, overall, this is a good CD and one I will probably listen to for many Christmases to come.
CD Review: Roots: Old & New (Cross Pointe)
Almost a year and a half ago, I was contacted by Bill Pitts of Cross Pointe, asking if I would be willing to listen to their latest CD and give my honest opinion. As you can see, it has taken me a long time to get around to writing the review; however, this does not mean that I did not like the CD. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it upon my first listen whereas it usually takes me a while to make an assessment. Maybe it’s due to the fact that this recording was produced by John Darin Rowsey but I still have flashbacks of New Journey when I listen to some of the songs on here.
Walk on the Water has a standard Southern Gospel feel but is my least favorite song on the CD. A basic message and too typical.
Changed is a descriptive experience of a person who was baptized and completely changed from the life they had lived. A mid-tempo song with great harmony and a great message. It is also well written.
All My Tears reminds me of a song the Forester Sisters would sing. It has a folksy feel to it.
Kenna West and John Darin Rowsey wrote the toe-tapping Time After Time.
Only Jesus is a beautiful song also written by Mr. Rowsey and Sue C. Smith.
I’m Still Standing was written by group member Bill Pitts. It talks about standing firm in spite of what life throws your way. With Jesus, you can stand!
I like their arrangement of Wayfaring Stranger. It starts out slow with just piano. Then picks up the tempo slightly but still keeps a pace which makes it easy to follow the story.
Two Coats is an old song but it’s been a long time since I’ve heard anyone sing it. They sing the first verse and chorus very slow then increase the tempo to a toe-tapping one. Great arrangement.
I love the arrangement and harmony on It Changes Everything. “It changes everything to know You love me. And it makes me smile to think about Your grace. And then when I remember how You walked this road before me, that changes everything.” Amen!
Their version of I Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now is a bit progressive but they did a good job.
Speak to Me is a song of prayer that God would speak and give me ears to hear.
Power in the Name of Jesus is one song specifically that reminds me of New Journey. Another song with great harmony and a great message. There really is power in the Name of Jesus regardless of what you’re facing.
CD Review: Voice in the Desert (The Freemans)
The latest CD from The Freemans has been out for a while but, unfortunately, I am just now getting around to writing the review.
Chris Freeman sings the title song, Voice in the Desert. Somebody does need to be a voice in the desert, to make a way for the Lord.
Darrell sings That Kind of Love, a story about a drunk who has a hard time understanding how someone could know him and yet still love him. The conclusion is we’ll never understand that kind of love.
Ole Trespasser tells Satan to “get out of this place.”
“The Last Time I Looked, the gravestone is still rolled away.” Can I get an Amen?
I may not always like Where I’ve Been but, often, I can look back and see that “it’s made me a better man” (or woman as the case may be). 😉
Caylon and Misty sing the old spiritual, Water Grave.
“So carry your cross, no matter how hard it’s been. The strength that you’ve lost will help you depend on Him. Keep climbing that hill. Don’t lay your cross down. There’s only one you so what would God do with an Unwanted Crown?” Jesus bore His cross for you; now it’s your turn. Don’t give up.
Chris sings John the Revelator.
Next, the tempo mellows for Meanwhile Back at the Cross. Satan was gloating but he did not notice everything that was happening at the Cross.
There is a concept video for Lead Me Home on YouTube. Very well done.
