SouthernGospelBlog.com

Rating: 3.5 stars (of 5)

Average Song Rating: 3.5 (of 5)

Producer: The Ball Brothers.

Song List: He’s a Personal Savior; Dig a Little Deeper; Near to the Heart of God; Where Could I Go But To the Lord; There is a River; I Never Shall Forget the Day; My Lord and I; Going Home; He Set Me Free; I Surrender All.

Artist Website: http://www.theballbrothers.com/.

***

Since starting their group in about 2005, the Ball Brothers have released three projects: A self-titled debut with new songs, an a capella release (Vocalized), and this project, Simplified. As the title suggests, this collection of classic Southern Gospel songs uses simple arrangements. In fact, there were only two studio musicians—Roy Webb on piano and Greg Hagan on bass and rhythm guitar.

Several slower-paced hymns on the project (”Near to the Heart of God,” “Going Home,” and “I Surrender All”) help to create a slow-paced, relaxing mood. The project also has several convention songs, with harmonies much tighter than a typical male quartet would sing, and one a capella song (”My Lord and I”).

The project’s standout track is “There is A River.” It’s not a fast-paced rendition (clocking in at over six minutes!), but the tempo is comparable to normal for the song. All four brother’s voices are similar enough that it can be rather hard to discern which brother has each solo. However, even in the three or four years the group has been on the road, lead singer Daniel Ball’s voice has matured noticeably, and I suspect it is his voice on this track. Though the rendition might not top Gerald Wolfe’s definitive version, it shows an incipient range and command that promises to make Ball one of Southern Gospel’s best lead singers.

This project showcases a different side of the group than previous recordings have brought out, a more traditional side. It also provides them with traditional numbers for concerts where the audiences seems to respond best to traditional selections. When I saw them a few weeks ago—reviewed here—they made ample use of this project’s songs, staging several of the numbers in their set.

This is not the sort of project that blows the listener away—but then, it wasn’t meant to be. It is more the sort of project that provides an enjoyable, relaxing listen. Sometimes, whether or not they realize it, every Southern Gospel fan wearies of over-compressed, highly produced music, and this is a perfect fit for such times.

I stopped at the local thrift store on Saturday. There are often few or no Southern Gospel records there, but this time I had several “finds”:

• He’s Wonderful - LeFevres (year?). The notes say Pierce LeFevre had just returned from the service; does this date it for anyone? This is really solid, enjoyable quartet singing. It seems to have a 50s feel.
• Pray Pray Pray for the U.S.A. - Wally Fowler and the Oak Ridge Quartet (year?). There is no group picture, so I have no idea as to when this was recorded or the personnel on the project. The project has a late 50s or (very) early 60s feel.
• Sweeter as the Days Go By - Prophets Quartet (year?). It seems to have a mid-60s feel. Does anyone know personnel or the year of recording?
• Listen to Those Smooth Weatherfords - Weatherfords (year?). This seems to be a post-Cathedral of Tomorrow lineup. It has a late 60s feel.
• Little Steve Sings Big - Steve (year?). Who was “Little Steve”? The liner notes indicate he appeared on the Gospel Singing Jubilee. I picked up the album because the Florida Boys were on the cover. Tommy Atwood’s tenor and Billy Todd’s glasses would seem to date it to the late 60s.
• In Hawaii - Rex Humbard and the Cathedral Singers (year?). I think this was after the Cathedral Quartet left Humbard’s ministry. An almost-quaint tidbit of history: The album is in a mailer envelope with five cents of postage.
• High and Easy - Coy Cook (year?). This was recorded between 1966 and 1969, since Coy Cook was with the Dixie Echoes at the time. Does anyone have a more precise date?
• Gloryland Train - Perry Sisters (1984). Diana Gillette wrote most of the songs on this Eddie Crook Company-released album.
• Steve Green - Steve Green (1984). This album could be said to be more Southern Gospel than (today’s) Gold City or Booth Brothers. If Green had any desire to return to this style, he could probably easily find a home on Southern Gospel radio—and a new fan base in a genre where legends are a more than just yesterday’s news.
• Enter Into the Joy of the Lord - Vernon Bowling, Joe Isaacs and the Sacred Bluegrass (year?). Yes, this is the Joe Isaacs, and Lily was also a group member. To help date the album, the group had been together for slightly over two years, and Lily had released a solo folk album on Columbia approximately ten years before. In a (retrospectively) almost quaint touch, Bowling and Isaacs printed their home phone numbers on the back for booking purposes. (It’s not worth tracking down the album for that, too, since even in the highly improbable event Isaacs hasn’t moved, I believe that area of Ohio has since changed area codes.)

Does anyone know any of the album information I’m missing?

Rating: 5 stars (of 5)

Average Song Rating: 4.2 stars (of 5)

Song List: I Will Trade The Old Cross For a Crown; Things That I’m Seeing; Greater Miracle; I’m Going There; He’ll Never Forsake; I’ll See You Home; Tell Me Who; Whenever, Wherever, Whatever; Take a Little Look; Celebrating Resurrection Morning; Hallelujah For the Cross.

Available From: Artist, CBD.

* * *

Cross 4 Crowns was formed by baritone Allen Leath in 2003 and toured regionally for two years before making the decision to try to go national in September 2005. Some of their first major attention on a national level came when former Dixie Echoes tenor Dallas Rogers joined the group, a story I broke this March. (Rogers had also performed with the Journeymen Quartet, Heirline, and the Toney Brothers.) Other group members are lead singer Davey McCammon and bass singer Justin Terry.

The group signed with Crossroads Music in May; Turning Point is their major-label debut. It is an impressive project, period, and for a debut…let’s just say it’s the most impressive debut in recent memory. Arthur Rice produced the album; his touch is evident in the group’s arrangements and harmonies, which give the group a sound closer to the Kingdom Heirs than any other group.

While several of the tracks on the project were previously recorded, the opening track (”I Will Trade The Old Cross for a Crown”) is probably the only song instantly familiar to enough Southern Gospel fans to be labeled a “classic.” Most of the other previously recorded songs would be more towards being classified “forgotten gems.”

“I Will Trade The Old Cross for a Crown” makes a good choice for an opening track, introducing the group’s sound. It also emphasizes their group name (Cross 4 Crowns…get it?) This rendition is slower than normal but brings out the group’s solid harmonies.

The group is at its strongest on convention-style quartet songs, and the project has several: “Things That I’m Seeing,” “I’m Going There,” “Take a Little Look,” and “Tell Me Who.” “Things that I’m Seeing” is a song the Kingsmen recorded over three decades ago (in 1976, on It Made News In Heaven). After hearing Cross 4 Crowns’ catchy rendition, it seems surprising that there have been (to my knowledge) no other renditions of the song since its debut.

“I’m Going There” is a song the group has apparently already sent to radio; it provides opportunities for several group members to take solos.

Squire Parsons’ “Take a Little Look” provides another opportunity for bass singer Justin Terry to shine. He has a surprisingly mature voice for being (according to the web bio) only 24 years old. His voice sounds somewhat like Glenn Dustin’s, with (perhaps thanks again to Arthur Rice) some Jeff Chapman-style phrasings also in evidence. His range is quite low; he hits low A several times on “Things that I’m Seeing,” a low G or two on “Take a Little Look,” and several confident low F-sharps on “I’m Going There.”

Terry and Dallas Rogers are probably the two strongest vocal talents in the group. Unfortunately, Dallas Rogers only gets one feature, “I’ll See You Home.” The song appears to have been added at the last minute; the final project has eleven songs, while the pre-release on the group’s website listed ten, omitting this one.

The project has several other good mid-tempo songs and ballads, such as “Hallelujah For the Cross” and “Whenever, Wherever, Whatever.” Buy on this project, it’s the convention songs most likely to get audiences to their feet.

Care is evident in this project. The mixing and mastering is impeccable. The harmonies are arranged well. Bottom line: Vocally, musically, and lyrically, this project shines.

My working rating on the draft was 4.5 stars. It’s pretty unheard of for a reviewer serious about ratings to give a group’s debut project five stars. But this project kept drawing me back again and again; by the time I got to the project’s tenth spin in a week, I decided it was worth that fifth star. Fans of Kindgom Heirs-style quartet singing should love this group.

Rating: 3.5 (of 5)

Average Song Rating: 3.2 (of 5)

Producer: Jason Webb.

Song List: Let Me Tell You ‘Bout Jesus; Didn’t It Rain; Take My Life; Glorious; Big Mighty God; Last One Worthy; You Thought of Us; Nothin’ But Good; It’s Time to Sing; You’re Never Too Far Away; Jesus Saves.

Available from: Artist, Label, CBD.

***

After performing with the Alphus LeFevre Singers, the Singing Americans, and Gold City, and winning three Singing News Fan Awards for Favorite Baritone, Mike LeFevre took a hiatus from the forefront of the Southern Gospel scene for several years.

Several years ago, he returned to the Southern Gospel scene with the Mike LeFevre Quartet. The group spent several years with the Song Garden Music Group label, during the years when Robbie Hiner and Nick Bruno were at the helm and the label showed promise of establishing a foothold in the genre. The group’s lead singer, David Staton, even worked there on days the group wasn’t on the road. However, after changes at the label that involved Hiner, Bruno, and several of the nationally known artists departing, the quartet found themselves looking for a label. They ended up signing with Canaan earlier this year; this is their first release on the label.

This was one of three albums released by Canaan this fall; attention was on all three to see what level of detail and care Canaan would put into their releases. Kim Hopper’s solo CD, which I reviewed a couple of weeks ago, was the only one of the three where Canaan executive Dave Clark had a day-to-day role in the album production. Though he’s an “executive producer” here (as I understand it, it’s more of a veto power, removed from the day to day recording process), Jason Webb produced this album.

The album has several good songs. “Glorious” is an uptempo song with praise and worship lyrics reminiscent of their hit cover of “Days of Elijah.” Traditional Southern Gospel gets several nods with the opening tracks, “Let Me Tell You About Jesus” and “Didn’t it Rain.”

The project’s strongest song is probably its final track, “Jesus Saves.” It is a new song, not the hymn, the Cathedrals song, the Talley Trio song, or the Hoppers song, all of which have the same name. This anthem will have many listeners hitting the repeat button. My only complaint with the track is that the choir—which is not in and of itself appropriate addition given the anthemic nature of the track—all but overpowers the quartet’s vocals by the end. I would love to hear a remix of this song with the choir track pulled, and the quartet’s vocals more in evidence.

The album has several good songs, and one or two great songs that will keep listeners returning time and again.

Rating: 5 stars

Producers: Randy Shelnut, Randy Shelnut Jr., and Stewart Varnado

Song List: I’ll Be Ready To Go With Him; So Many Reasons; Miracles Will Happen On That Day; Until You Find the Lord; Not in a Million Years; Walk With Me; On the Other Side of Jordan; How Big is God; I’m Gonna Move to the Sky; Little is Much.

Available from: Artist.

***

In the two years since the Dixie Echoes released their last release (Sounds of Sunday), they have had two member changes. Former Palmetto State Quartet member Wesley Smith has replaced Dallas Rogers at the tenor slot, and former Diplomats bass Pat Barker has replaced Tracy Crouch at bass. Since every Dixie Echoes project over the past several years has introduced at least one new member, the group has been fortunate to maintain the same core through that time–lead singer Randy Shelnut, baritone “Scoot” Shelnut (Randy Jr.), and pianist Stewart Varnado.

For the last five or six years, the Dixie Echoes have predominantly recorded and staged classic Southern Gospel songs. So Many Reasons continues this trend. However, it differs from the typical table project. Many groups record projects of new songs as their mainline releases and do table projects of classics on the side; these table projects typically feature ten of the 50 to 100 songs instantly recognizable to any Southern Gospel fan. The Dixie Echoes consistently make a concerted effort to find and bring back forgotten gems.

Granted, the project has its familiar songs, three or maybe four songs from that (hypothetical) list of 50 to 100 songs that every Southern Gospel fan knows. But each has a purpose in the album. “Walk With Me” showcases tenor Wesley Smith; “How Big is God” and “Not in a Million Years” introduce Pat Barker. Somewhat like his predecessor Tracy Crouch, Barker is not the lowest bass ever, but has a rich, warm tone and carries a pleasant lead. “Not in a Million Years” might not have been primarily thought of as a bass song before this rendition, but Barker’s vocals make it sound as though it was written for a bass voice.

“Little is Much,” the project’s other instantly recognizable song, features lead singer Randy Shelnut. Undoubtedly, enough fans who have heard Shelnut’s often electrifying live rendition of the song requested for a CD with the song that the group needed to record it eventually.

Probably the project’s best forgotten gem is the opening track, “I’ll Be Ready.” The song was written by David Reese, a member of the Harvesters and Rangers, and recorded by both groups. Other than a splendid rendition on a recent Couriers project–a project that unfortunately stayed unknown to most Southern Gospel fans–the song has been largely forgotten for decades. The Dixie Echoes turn in a great rendition, managing to showcase all four members without any awkward transitions. (Pat Barker even sings some rhythm bass during Wesley Smith’s solo.)

Other project highlights include “On the Other Side of Jordan,” “I’m Gonna Move to the Sky,” and the two songs featuring Pat Barker, “How Big is God” and “Not in a Million Years.” This project will delight fans of classic Southern Gospel, and undoubtedly win a few new ones along the way.

***

A few words about the rating. Since this is only the fourth 5-star rating I’ve given this year, and only the second to a project released this year, it might raise a few eyebrows that I gave the rating to a project of (mostly) familiar classics. I did this for two reasons. First, I compare it against other projects of classic songs, and it’s one of the best in recent years. Second, part of the rating is due to the recording process. They recorded the core instruments on the soundtracks themselves, and recorded the vocals without stacks or auto-tuning. So Many Reasons gets four of its stars because it’s good; it gets its fifth star because it’s real.

Rating: 3.5 (of 5)

Average Song Rating: 3.8 (of 5)

Song List: I Know, I Know; Help is On the Way; Eternity Has Two; One of These Days; Truly God is Love; Land of the Dying; I Won’t Have to Worry Anymore; When the Hand of God Comes Down; The Black Sheep Returns to the Fold; I’m the Clay in Your Hands; Press On, O Pilgrim, There is Joy Ahead; What Shall I Do With Jesus; He Made it All Right; Keep Your Eyes on Jesus.

Available From: Artist, Crossroads, Amazon, CBD.

***

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver is a rare example of a group that manages to enjoy success concurrently in Southern Gospel and another genre without alienating many fans in either genre. They alternate Bluegrass and Bluegrass Gospel releases, releasing their Bluegrass Gospel releases to the Southern Gospel via Crossroads Records.

This project gained some notice when its title track went to #1 on the September 2008 Singing News radio airplay charts (subscribers-only link here). Oddly enough, with the song being the group’s first #1, it’s not even the best track on the project. “One of These Days,” “When the Hand of God Comes Down,” and “Press On, O Pilgrim, There is Joy Ahead” are outstanding uptempo numbers that would be termed “convention songs” under different arrangements. “Press On, O Pilgrim, There is Joy Ahead,” in particular, is a song that a traditional group like the Dixie Echoes, Inspirations, or the Blackwood Brothers could adapt easily to their style.

Among the project’s slower tracks, the most memorable lyric comes from “Eternity Has Two”: “Life has many options / Eternity has two.” It’s the sort of lyric and melody that stick in your mind for days, even after only hearing the song once or twice.

This album is an enjoyable mixture of new and classic Gospel songs performed in a Bluegrass style. Despite posts like these two, I see no reason why fans of traditional convention-song quartet singing would dislike Quicksilver. In fact, their vocal arrangements are much closer that style than many of today’s top groups.

Rating: 4.5 (of 5)

Average Song Rating: 3.8 (of 5)

Producer: Dave Clark and Kim Hopper

Song List: When God Sings; The Promised Land; Gospel To the World; What Will I Wear; Well Done Well Done; The Woman in My Little Girl’s Room; The Devil Lost His Keys; That Sounds Like Heaven to Me; Come Out Praising; I Just Wanted You to Know.

Available from: Label, CBD.

***

This fall, Canaan Records issues their first three original recordings. (Their two previous releases have been reissues of earlier independently released Hoppers projects.) I will be reviewing all three on this blog within the next month or so. While I run the risk of stealing some of my own thunder, this project is the strongest of the three.

Incidentally, it’s also the project in which Canaan had the most direct involvement. Mike Bowling produced and arranged his group’s project; Jason Webb produced and arranged the Mike LeFevre Quartet project. Though Canaan exec Dave Clark is listed as an executive producer on the Mike LeFevre Quartet project, which means he did have some oversight in production decisions, I Just Wanted You To Know was produced by Dave Clark and Kim Hopper–the only one of the three on which Clark had a direct hand in the day-to-day shaping process. Clark and Hopper were joined by an all-star production team; Lari Goss arranged and orchestrated three of the tracks, most notably “Gospel To the World.” Wayne Haun arranged the rest of the strings and brass, and Gordon Mote handled the vocal arrangements.

This level of interest by the studio shows; I Just Wanted You To Know gets all the little details right. Care in production quality is evident from the first bars of music to the final notes.

The project has several strong songs, most notably “Gospel To The World.” This Paula Stefanovich song is a song with the same level of potential as Stefanovich’s previous contributions to the Hoppers, “Jerusalem” and “Yaweh.” Her songs seem tailor-made to the Hopper’s style; she also contributed another of the project’s strongest songs, “That Sounds Like Heaven to Me.”

All too often, a solo project is either a table project of familiar hymns or an attempt to replicate the same sound a group member has with his or her group. Here, Kim Hopper takes the opportunity a solo project affords to explore themes and record songs that are more suited for solo than ensemble performance. The title alone for the song “What Will I Wear” suggests it likely wouldn’t be a song a man picked. (It’s a pity in a way, since it’s a really nice tune.) “The Woman in my Little Girl’s Room,” featuring a guest vocal by Dean Hopper, is another tune that wouldn’t fit on a Hoppers project.

I seriously considered joining David Murray in giving this project 5 stars of 5. The production quality is top notch, deserving a 6 on a 1-5 scale. The only thing that held me back from the full 5-star rating was the song selection; though the project has several strong songs that should do well on radio, it doesn’t quite come to the level of The Ride (a project the Hoppers themselves will have a hard time topping). However, it is a strong project, on par with other recent Hoppers projects like Generations or Power.

Rating: 3 stars (of 5)

Producer: Jeff Collins.

Song List: I Want To Be the One; Wounded Soldier; Jesus Loves Me; I Bowed On My Knees; Higher Ground; Haven of Rest; O I Want to See Hi; How Great Thou Art; Way of Grace; It is Well.

Available from: Artist.

***

This CD appears to be the debut effort by Southern Gospel soloist Brandon Andrews. Though still a teenager, he has a well-trained voice that sounds as though he was at least ten years older.

The level of effort put into this project is quite impressive. It was produced by Jeff Collins and recorded at Crossroads Studios. Several tracks were produced by Roger Talley, and Roger and Lauren Talley, former Greater Vision tenor Chris Allman, and Eric Bennett all contribute background vocals.

Andrews wrote one new song for the project, “Way of Grace.”  The rest of the project consists of familiar songs–five or six hymns, a couple Southern Gospel classics, and two Rodney Griffin tunes. The packaging and artwork is also professionally done.

Many projects are recorded to introduce new songs; this project is more to introduce the singer. Whether as a soloist or with a group, Andrews has a good voice, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ll be hearing from him in the future.

Rating: 3 (a solid 3 of 5)

Producer: Greg Day, Keith Plott, Lee Fortune.

Songlist: I’ve Got an Advocate; Thanks to Calvary; That’s the Truth; Midnight Cry; The Name of Jesus; The Offer Still Stands; He Set Me Free; There is One; This Could Be Your Last Chance; Lord it Hurts; Amazing Love; Look For Me.

Artist Website: www.keithplott.com.

Available from: Artist.

***

Keith Plott sang bass for Danny Funderburk and Mercy’s Way, then from 2003-2007 for Brian Free & Assurance. Last year, he made the decision to go solo and released his debut recording (reviewed here). I commented in that review that the launch of his solo career seemed to go under the radar screen of the industry; unfortunately, despite a full touring schedule, that still seems to be the case.

This recording is a solid collection of songs, most of which have been previously recorded. The project includes some classics, “Thanks to Calvary,” “Look for Me,” “He Set Me Free,” and “Midnight Cry.” Most of the other songs have been previously recorded, but some of them received little enough attention the first time around that they may as well be new.

Speaking of “Midnight Cry,” easily the biggest influence on this project was the song’s co-writer, Greg Day, who produced the project (along with Plott and Lee Fortune). He co-wrote seven of the project’s twelve songs; his co-writer on “Midnight Cry,” Chuck Day, contributed one more. Even if there was no other point of interest for the project, it would be worth a listen to get a feel for other songs from the pens of the authors of that classic.

Plott’s voice is versatile enough to pull off a solo project without sounding forced at either end of his range. Not to spend too much of the review focusing on “Midnight Cry” (though, given the producer’s history with the song, it’s not surprising that the song is the high point of the recording), but Plott actually pulls off the song and makes it sound like it was written for a bass. That’s no small feat.

I gave the project a solid 3 stars of 5; if it had featured mostly or entirely new songs and maintained the same level of quality, I would have given it 3.5 or maybe even 4. This project is enjoyable and worth a listen.

Rating: 3.5 (of 5)

Producer: Gordon Mote & Phil Johnson.

Songlist: Adoration; I Know Somebody Who Does; Wake Up Dancin’; Don’t Let Me Miss the Glory; Maplewood Methodist Church; Get Up in Jesus’ Name; Mercy Walked In; All That Noise; I Can’t Even Walk (Without You Holding My Hand); Ain’t Gonna Give Up on God; My Redeemer is Faithful and True; The Other Side of Time; This Life.

Artist Website: www.gordonmote.com

Available from: Amazon, CBD, label, artist.

***

Gordon Mote, though blind since birth, started planning piano at age three. He studied music at Belmont University in Nashville; two days after graduation, he joined country singer Lee Greenwood’s band, and played piano for Greenwood for three years (until Greenwood left the road). Mote then went into studio work and focused on being a session pianist until 2006, when he released his debut project, There’s No Place Love Can’t Reach.

After hearing that project, as well as his contributions as a studio musician to various Gaither productions, Bill Gaither hired him as Homecoming Tour pianist after Anthony Burger’s sudden death. Don’t Let Me Miss the Glory is Mote’s first solo project since.

Mote’s website bio lists some of the artists he has collaborated with:

He’s performed on stage with Lee Greenwood, Trisha Yearwood, Tanya Tucker, Bill Gaither and Grand Ole Opry legend Porter Wagoner among others. In the studio, a “who’s who of country and Christian artists” have benefited from Gordon’s gifts, among them Rascal Flatts, Randy Travis, The Martins, Mark Lowry, Trace Adkins, The Gaither Vocal Band and Kenny Chesney.

This variety of influences shows on his project. While it has its Southern Gospel-influenced tracks, its overall musical feel is more eclectic. It includes the Southern Gospel classic “I Can’t Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand,” but it also includes the Steven Curtis Chapman song “My Redeemer is Faithful and True.”

The latter, incidentally, is a song which is well arranged to fit Mote’s style. Mote sings it as a duet with his wife Kimberly, who is an excellent vocalist in her own right.

The project features several other guest vocalists–Allison Krauss (on “Maplewood Methodist Church”), the Gaither Vocal Band (on “Get Up in Jesus’ Name”), the Isaacs (on “I Know Somebody Who Does,”) and the Voices of Lee (on “Adoration.”)

Much like I said in my recent review of Charlotte Ritchie’s latest effort, Mote’s project strikes me as being one where the artist chose the songs he wanted to do and the style he wanted to do them without being particularly fastidious about ensuring that it fits the mold of what a Southern Gospel (or Christian Country, or contemporary) project is supposed to sound like.