Daywind Records
CD Review: Hope for All Nations (Karen Peck & New River)
This CD review is late because, although I wrote it a long time ago, I apparently never posted it. I feel bad about that but I decided better late than never since this was another great CD from Karen Peck and New River.
The first song you’ll hear is the catchy, encouraging, toe-tapping Love Will Never Give Up.
Next is the popular song Hope for All Nations.
My favorite song on this project is I Know I’ll Be There. I don’t know about you, but I long for that day.
Other songs include: Who He Is, What He Does; The Reason; Gotta Be Saved; I’ll Keep on Praying; The River; Victory is Mine; God’s Got a Blessing; All You Need; and I’m Gonna Love My Neighbor (with guest vocalists The Isaacs, Greater Vision, Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Bowling Family, Triumphant, and The Whisnants).
CD Review: Turn the Page (Misty Freeman)
This is my favorite CD from Misty Freeman thus far. The only negative thing I have to say about it is that there are only six songs but the songs are comprised of good lyrics and arrangments, so you will not feel let down. You will just have to listen to it more often. 🙂
New Beginnings is a song that everyone should hear. Life is too short to hold grudges, compare yourself with others, be too serious, etc.
A Day in the Life of Jesus talks about the things Jesus did on a daily basis: healing people, walking on water, forgiving.
“The time that you spent here on earth is The best Sermon I ever heard.” A thought-provoking song. Something we should all aspire to have said about us.
Too Fast is a song that every parent can relate too. Enjoy your children while they are little. This stage will be over way too soon.
The other songs on this CD are: Garden of Grace and When God Speaks.
CD Review: Stronger Together (The Nelons)
When you think of the Nelons, you may think of great harmony and good songs. This CD will not disappoint.
One Little Word talks about the name of Jesus. It’s amazing how effective that one word is no matter how low you get.
Family Chain reminds us that, although we may lose loved ones on this earth, if they know Jesus, the separation is only temporary.
The highlight of the CD, for me, is Then Came the Morning. I love the song anyway but Amber Nelon Thompson does an awesome job on this classic.
Jason Clark sings Gate of Heaven.
Karen Peck Gooch joins Kelly Nelon Clark and the Nelons to sing You Can’t Make Old Friends.
I’m so glad someone finally brought back I Think I’ll Read it Again. I have loved that song ever since Gold City released it in the 1980s.
Other songs included are: In My Father’s House, The Awakening, and Angels Hover Near You.
CD Review: Classics Volume One (Blackwood Brothers Quartet)
The Blackwood Brothers have released yet another CD of classics. Songs include: I’d Rather Have Jesus, He Touched Me, If That Isn’t Love, Who Am I, The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power, Without Him, Sweet Beulah Land, What a Day That Will Be, The Eastern Gate, and The Love of God.
The CD was produced and arranged by Trey Ivey who also plays piano on the recording. Longtime Blackwood Brothers fans will still enjoy the group today.
CD Review: Here For You (Tribute Quartet)
Earlier this year, I reviewed my favorite CD for 2016. The latest CD from Tribute Quartet may not be my very favorite, but it’s definitely up there.
Here For You is an uptempo song of encouragement. You can find love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, joy, faith, everything you need to make it through. All you need to do is join the family of God.
Another encouraging toe-tapper is Never Forsaken.
We all need reminders that this world is not our home, that these trials will not last forever, etc. Somebody Sing Me That Song.
Riley Harrison Clark blows the roof off with When the Prodigal Comes Home.
The tempo picks back up with Meeting in the Middle of the Air.
I’m so thankful that I serve the God of the Storms.
Everybody Come See Jesus is just a song about Jesus and how wonderful He is.
Anthony Davis is featured on That’s How I Know.
Grace at Its Best is still the cross. I love that!
Jesus Saves is an old song written by Connie Hopper and Geron Davis.
Nothing Stops the Savior’s Love–I needed to hear this today. “Fear may rule the day, but hope–it always finds a way to reach us where we are, to give us life that’s more than what we dreamed of.”
CD Review: Life is Good (The Hoppers)
My first CD review this year goes to my favorite CD of 2016. It caught my attention after hearing a few songs off of it. When I got the CD, I was not disappointed. I ordered a copy for a friend right away and, thankfully, he shared my sentiments. It was five years in the making for The Hoppers but definitely worth the wait.
I believe Jesus, the One was their first radio single. This was the only song I wasn’t really wild about when I first heard it but it’s grown on me.
Life is Good is my new pick-me-up when I’m having a rough day.
Connie sings the lead on Grace Will Get to You. No matter what you’ve done, God’s grace will find you.
“If He asks you to walk a mile with him, Walk Two. If He asks you to lend an ear to Him, listen the whole night through.” The world is full of people who will grudgingly do the bare minimum. God needs people willing to wholeheartedly go above and beyond the call of “duty.”
I love their arrangement of Brethren We Have Met to Worship. It will make you want to “have church.”
Another song I really like is If We Ever Gotta Look. I saw them do this in concert and loved it immediately. “If we ever gotta look at what’s waiting up there, we wouldn’t want to stay down here.”
The tempo slows down as Claude sings an old Rusty Goodman song: Until You’ve Known the Love of God.
Song of Moses is a song of hope. “All your battles, He won at Calvary. Shout the message of Moses’ song.” If you know the story of Moses, you will recall the stories of victory, hope when all seemed hopeless.
I’ve enjoyed seeing Dean & Kim’s daughter Karlye on stage with her family this year. She sings the lead on My Ransom.
The tempo picks back up for By and By.
Before the Sun Goes Down is the perfect ending for a thought-provoking CD. “Before I reach the end of day, I’ve got to know I’ve walked Your way.” A song to ponder as you listen carefully to the words.
CD Review: Glory to God in the Highest (The Kingdom Heirs)
The Kingdom Heirs have released a new Christmas CD. Although many of the songs will be familiar to all, they are sung with the Kingdom Heirs’ sound and style.
Beginning with Jesus is Born Today and Glory to God in the Highest, the tempo slows down for Mary, Did You Know.
New songs to me are Singing to the King, Christmas Cookies, and The Christmas Wish.
Other songs included are Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas; The King of Eternity; Jesus, Oh What a Wonderful Child; and an instrumental version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
CD Review: As We Speak (Greater Vision)
If you attended the National Quartet Convention last year or saw the live stream, you are aware that Greater Vision released a new CD entitled, As We Speak. It became humorous, but it was worth the mention. In thinking back over the Greater Vision CDs I own, I believe this is my favorite since Faces. I rated it low because, in many ways, it is pretty typical of Greater Vision recordings, but there are some more uptempo songs and a couple songs I especially like, which is what makes it one of my faves.
The CD begins with the group’s recent hit, Put Out the Fire
We Can’t Tell It All has a typical GV sound. No matter how many songs we sing, it is impossible to fully describe our Lord.
Toes in the Water asks if we are fully surrendered or just getting our toes wet (my paraphrase). 🙂
He Does reminds us that Jesus sees and cares and understands.
Will I be a faithful example if the Lord has me follow In the Sandals of Daniel to the lion’s den? This is a toe-tapper but one that you need to pause to ponder.
I am really glad that they brought back Labreeska Hemphill’s song, Let the Blood of Calvary Speak for Me. “May it write me down as righteous where no righteousness has been, shielding me from wrath and judgment as it covers all my sins.” Lord, let it be so!
Never Will I Ever Again is a fun, fast song. I love it!
The tempo slows down as Rodney Griffin sings I Do Know. I may not know the future, but I do know what the next life will bring.
It’s encouraging to know that everyone is Saved By the Same Grace. It doesn’t matter if you are male or female, rich or poor. God’s grace is sufficient for all!
The CD ends with the title track: As We Speak. This is another of my favorites on the CD. Gerald Wolfe does a great job communicating the message. I feel God’s presence every time I hear this song.
CD/DVD Review: Quartet Night Across America
Daywind Records has put together a CD/DVD collection of four top quartets to take us back through the decades to when Southern Gospel music first started and progressing into how it sounds today. Groups featured are Legacy Five, The Blackwood Brothers, Tribute Quartet, and Brian Free & Assurance. On the DVD, Paul Heil interviews Scott Fowler, Billy Blackwood, Gary Casto, and Brian Free. Since this is a live recording, there are a couple mistakes, but I still consider this a must-have for every southern gospel collector. Songs featured are as follows:
All: “Quartet Singing’s Going On”
Scott Fowler, Gary Casto, Brian Free, Butch Owens: “Give Me That Old Time Religion.”
Riley Harrison Clark, Bill Shivers, Billy Blackwood, Matt Fouch: “Heaven’s Jubilee.”
Blackwood Brothers: “Just a Little Talk with Jesus,” “How Great Thou Art,” “Have You Talked to the Man Upstairs.”
Tribute Quartet: “This Old House.”
Blackwood Brothers and Tribute Quartet: Happy Medley (“Happy Rhythm” and “Wonderful Time Up There”)
All: “Patriotic Medley (America the Beautiful, My Country ‘Tis of Thee, God Bless America).”
Brian Free & Assurance: “In My Robe of White,” “Only God Knows,” “Long as I Got King Jesus.”
Legacy Five: “Wonderful Grace of Jesus,” “Boundless Love,” “He Made a Change,” “Hello After Goodbye.”
Tribute Quartet: “Sweeter as the Days Go By,” “Good News from Jerusalem,” “Everything I Need.”
Blackwood Brothers: “You Can Find What I Found.”
Brian Free & Assurance: “Say Amen.”
Legacy Five: “Christ is Still the King.”
All: “Looking for a City.”
In other news, Daywind announced last week that these groups will be taking this on the road. To bring Quartet Night Across America to your town, contact The Harper Agency at info@harperagency.com or by calling 615.851.4500.
CD Review: Moments Like These (The Bowling Family)
The Bowling Family is comprised of Mike and Kelly Bowling and their daughter Hope. This is my first time to listen to a full CD of theirs, but what a blessing it is. I give it 5 stars because of the quality of the songs. There is not a “dud” on this recording. Songs of faith, hope, and the resurrection fill this CD, leaving you encouraged and ready to face another day.
Mike sings the uptempo, Praise God, He is Alive.
Hope sings about One Moment of Faith.
I Was There is the Heavenly Father reminding you that He was there during everything you have gone through … and He will continue to be.
Mourning to Dancing is another toe-tapping song of hope.
In the next song, Mike tells us again I Believe He’s Alive.
The tempo slows way down for a song Mike and Kelly Bowling wrote with Marcia Henry Bloodworth: Even When You’re Asking Why. “You will never get to walk this road by sight. Only faith will lead you through the night. But God loves you and He’s with you, even when you’re asking why.”
Some of you will know the old song, I’ve Got My Foot on the Rock. I hadn’t heard this one in quite a while.
God is Always Good reminds us of that truth that many seem to lose sight of. No matter what you are going through, it does not change the fact that God is still good.
If you’re still not convinced, the next song puts it another way: God Likes Working in the Midnight Hour.
Kelly sings Our First Hallelujah There, a song that ushers you into the presence of Heaven as you picture your first moments there.
