Sounds of Jericho is a new male quartet founded by bass singer Stacy Bragg and tenor Stephen Sigmon. Both were founding members of the Mike LeFevre Quartet; Sigmon stayed from 2005-2007, while Bragg stayed from 2005-2009. They are joined by lead singer Matt Tyler, baritone singer Ken Thomas, and, evidently since the recording’s photo shoot was completed, by arranger/pianist/guitarist Matt Dowdy.

The Story of His Grace is a surprisingly solid debut recording. As one might expect, with multiple members’ histories in professional groups, the tracks and vocal performances alike are professional quality. The arrangements are middle-of-the-road, leaning slightly progressive—reminiscent of current Kingsmen or Kingdom Heirs tracks. 

There are a number of strong tracks. “Ten Thousand Angels” is the anchor anthem, sure to be a concert show-stopper. It’s not the familiar song by the same name (Happy Goodmans, Blackwood Brothers, et cetera); it’s a song that suggests comparisons to Brian Free & Assurance.

Other strong tracks include “Deeper Journey,” the mid-tempo opening track; ”Jesus Never Changes,” a lyric-driven slower song, and “Resting Place,” a hymnlike song in a stunningly beautiful acapella setting. (The latter is not the same song as the Wilburns’ hit song by the same name).

There are twelve tracks; most are new, but four are classics (“Wayfaring Stranger,” “If the Lord Wasn’t Walking By My Side,” “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” and “Operator”). The new songs are strong enough that they don’t need the classics to raise the average song quality; in fact, the album would probably have been stronger overall as a ten-song collection, dropping two of the classics and putting the focus more squarely on the new material.

if The Story of His Grace is any indicator, expect to be hearing from Sounds of Jericho for years to come.

3:1 Reviews offer three highlights of an album and one area that could have been improved.

1: Through the Night: The Perrys are at their best when they have a lyric that captures the stark contrast of the pain of the valleys of this life with the joy of deliverance—and a melody that leaves room for Joseph Habedank or (as here) Libbi Perry Stuffle to mix pathos and power. Whether or not you purchase the rest of the album, definitely get this song. 

2: When He Spoke: Joseph Habedank, a powerhouse lead singer, turns in his strongest performance of the album on “When He Spoke.” Bryan Walker also offers a strong powerhouse vocal before Libbi Perry Stuffle brings it home.

3: One Of These Mornings: Perhaps it’s not a monumental achievement on par with a “I Wish I Could’ve Been There” or even a “Damascus Road.” But it’s a solid, fun up-tempo song, the best on the project. It’s very sonically reminiscent of “Blue Skies Coming,” but with that song’s success, that’s far from a bad thing. 

:1: Song Selection: The vocal performances are spectacular. The arrangements are majestic. And the songs are . . . good. The only reason this wasn’t a five-star project, on par with a This is the Day, Look No Further, or Blue Skies Coming is that it could have used a few more spectacular songs.

Make no mistake, there’s not really a bad song on the whole project. The project is filled with good songs, and will not disappoint fans looking for a new dose of the encouragement and enthusiasm that always highlight a Perrys project. 

3:1 Reviews offer three highlights of an album and one area that could have been improved.

1: Musical Balance: Groups which have been on the road for decades often struggle to transition the distinctives that made them great into the modern era. Sweet Songs About Heaven does a remarkably solid job at striking the right balance between modern recording techniques and the classic Blackwood Brothers sound. 

2: “Sweet Songs About Heaven”: This song is easily the album’s standout track (and to skeptical observers on the sidelines, I’d already made up my mind on this point prior to knowing that it was a Dianne Wilkinson / Rebecca Peck co-write). Blackwood Brothers fans aren’t looking for the passionate intensity of a Kyla Rowland testimony song. Many current fans have followed the group for decades and gravitate toward songs in exactly this vein: Mid-tempo songs where they can lean back, tap their toes, and reminisce about the good old days.

3: Songs that fit the Blackwood Brothers’ sound: Few writers still employ the musical and lyrical idioms that distinguish the greatest hits in the Blackwood Brothers’ repertoire. Group members have told me that it is actually quite hard to find new songs that have that classic sound and would fit alongside the songs they already stage. For Sweet Songs About Heaven, they have found several songs—“I’ve Heard About a City,” “That’s What Was Good About the Good Old Days,” and “That’s What Heaven Will Be”—that would have been right at home on one of their 1960s RCA Victor records. Of course, there are remakes, like “Swing Down Chariot,” “Someone to Care,” and “The Devil Can’t Harm a Praying Man,” but the new songs are strong enough to be the star of the show.

:1: Song Selection: It’s not that the song selection was poor; tenor Wayne Little, in particular, had a strong handful of solos—”Sweet Songs About Heaven,” “That’s What Heaven Will Be,” and a remake of the Ernie Haase & Signature Sound song “Goodbye Egypt (Hello Canaanland).” (Sadly, that last track is a straight solo, losing the tenor/bass duet that made the original so fun.) It’s hardly that the rest of the songs were weak; it’s more that, had each member been featured on three songs that strong, the album would have been a five-star project.

3:1 Reviews offer three highlights of an album and one area that could have been improved.

1: When He Speaks and I Am a Vessel. Both songs hit the stylistic sweet spot that has made many other McKameys songs live favorites and chart-toppers. Both are message songs—mellow, mid-tempo songs where the lyric is king.

2: Bearing Precious Seed. ”Bearing Precious Seed” kicks off the album and is easily its strongest up-tempo song. In fact, it’s probably one of the strongest fast songs they’ve ever done. It comes from Psalm 126:5-6:

(5) They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. (6) He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

You can probably think of at least two other songs drawn from the same passage (“Bringing in the Sheaves,” “They That Sow.”) But there’s no question that this one has the coolest title!

The lyric uses the seed as a picture of spreading the Gospel, fusing the imagery of this Psalm with Jesus’ parable of the sower. The imagery goes one step beyond the first half of verse six, the challenges of going out to spread the Gospel, and focuses on the second half—the joy of the Gospel harvest.

3: Unspoken Request. When you listen to a McKameys CD, you may be used to hitting the skip button when you hear a male voice solo. (No, I won’t embarrass you by asking for a show of hands. You know who you are! )

Don’t skip this one.

This story song is a rare vocal solo from guitarist Roger Fortner. It’s simple—and that’s not a bad thing; it doesn’t need to be complex. The last two lines of the second verse are particularly well-crafted.

:1: More great songs: McKameys fans probably won’t have a single complaint about arrangements, tracks, or vocal performances. More great four- and five-star songs would have made this a five-star project.

Tenors, lead singers, and baritones record solo projects. Bass singers rarely record solo projects. When they do, those solo projects are often more intriguing than anything else. It can be fascinating to hear a singer whose strength is rattling subwoofers attempt the broader range a solo album demands. The lowest bass singers sometimes don’t have a natural mid and upper range—while those who do, baritones (under a classical definition) who can sing a bass part, sometimes avoid the higher notes for another reason. They either don’t want to admit how high their bass is, or in the upper registers, it has so much of a baritone’s voice quality that it wouldn’t even be recognized as a bass voice.

Justin Terry’s vocal work will already be familiar to many readers of this website from the years he has spent with Cross 4 Crowns. Their 2008 CD Turning Point received a 5-star rating when we reviewed it in 2008—completely unprecedented for a national debut project. The group’s 2010 follow-up received an also-solid four-star rating.

But Terry’s debut solo CD, Inspired, proves that he is one of the rare bass singers who can carry a solo album. He achieves the feat of maintaining a consistent tone from the top to the bottom of his range. Even when he is at the upper limits of his range—somewhere in the vicinity of middle C, several notes lower than a baritone’s high end—he still sounds like a bass singer. His voice, except for its lowest registers, has some country twang. The instrumentation brings this out; in fact, the voice and the album suggest comparisons to Josh Turner, of “Long Black Train” fame (or infamy)—albeit with an extra octave or so lower end!

What makes this more impressive is that Terry’s bass vocals are solidly in the school of Tim Riley, Jeff Chapman, Aaron McCune, and Glen Dustin. (He can sound uncannily like Jeff Chapman.) This makes his versatility in his upper registers all the more remarkable; bass singers with this voice type and technique are often the ones who have the greatest struggles delivering pleasant, smooth solos.

Many if not all of the songs on Inspired have been previously recorded, but Terry largely avoids the songs which seem to end up on every bass singer’s table project. Yes, there is the classic bass solo “When He Reached Down His Hand for Me<” and two or three familiar hymns. But he also revisits “Knowing What I Know About Heaven,” the best track from Guy Penrod’s solo debut Breathe Deep. In fact, some fans will undoubtedly rank Terry’s rendition as stronger.

When a bass singer does a solo project, it’s often something quick and simple to sell as a table project. This project shows creativity and attention to detail in song selection and arrangements. It’s one of those rare bass solo projects strong and diverse enough to suggest that the singer could actually stage an interesting solo concert and sustain a solo career. In fact, it is the strongest bass solo project reviewed on this website since Christian Davis’ 2006 release Make it Real. Long-time readers know how high of a compliment that is.

3:1 Reviews offer three highlights of an album and one area that could have been improved.

1: How Big is God. During Pat Barker’s time with the Dixie Echoes, “How Big is God” became his signature song. But much like Scott Fowler proved that the Cathedrals should keep singing “Champion of Love,” Mike Jennings proves that the Dixie Echoes should keep on singing “How Big is God.”

2: Plan of Salvation. While Jennings’ take on “How Big is God” must necessarily draw comparisons to the large shoes (or, rather, cowboy boots) left by his predecessor, his take on “Plan of Salvation” draws comparisons to the large shoes (or, rather cowboy boots) left by the greatest Southern Gospel bass singer of all time. Jennings’ take isn’t a carbon copy, but its power and warmth make it a standout moment. (Of course, I might be biased; see here and here.)

3: I’ll Have a New Life. Yes, the three strongest moments on the album have a common factor. Mike Jennings was a brilliant find. (New tenor Michael Helwig is also a great find, and he holds down his part more than capably; however, he has yet to find his signature song.)

:1: Volume on dialog: If you have the volume on your speakers set at 25% for the music, you’ll have to crank it past 75% to hear the dialog.

Random observation: Now that he’s in his thirties, Scoot Shelnut’s voice is also entering the maturity of middle age. It is sounding increasingly closer to his father’s.

3:1 Reviews offer three highlights of an album and one area that could have been improved.

1. Jordan Wilburn: Everyone knew Jonathan Wilburn was one of the best singers in Southern Gospel. What we didn’t know was that Jordan Wilburn was also a vocalist of that caliber. This duo has been turning heads so quickly that they may as well take a chiropractor on the road.

2. “A Cross Became my Saving Grace”: An unusual chord progression builds this mellow testimony song into an immediately memorable track. Jordan Wilburn’s high lead vocal brings the song, written by Dianne Wilkinson and Joseph Habedank, to life.

3. “Jesus Will”: This Dianne Wilkinson / Jerry Salley is the sort of accessible and immediately singable song that will have you tapping your foot and humming along by the second or third play.

+1 or :1? Diversity: This album is all over the place stylistically. They try country, they try bluegrass, they try bluesy Southern Gospel, they try progressive Southern Gospel, and probably a few other things, too. And they pull each off each with equal aplomb. Is it too diverse for Southern Gospel, or is it exactly where Southern Gospel needs to go?

3:1 Reviews offer three highlights of an album and one area that could have been improved.

1. “The Day Death Died”: Royce Mitchell proves he’s in that select class of bass singers who can anchor anthems (see also Eric Bennett, “One Drop of Blood”; Pat Barker, “Calvary Medley.”) Then he turns around and delivers an incredibly smooth solo on “God’s Been Faithful.” He has such a smooth, confident, and pleasant command of every register of his range. In fact, if you wanted a bass singer so smooth that he can record a lullabies album, you’d have to go with Royce Mitchell. 

2. “39 Chapters Later”: This Joel Lindsey / Kyla Rowland collaboration on Job’s trials is an innovative twist on a familiar story. The encouraging message makes it a standout track.

3. “Not Givin’ in to Givin’ Up”: From the opening lines, the melody and groove leave no question that it’s a Joseph Habedank song (a collaboration with Matthew Holt). Jordan Cragun’s soulful delivery does it justice.

:1. Choir on “Hope Lives Again”: Sometimes less is more. It is possible to make a big ballad too big.

3:1 Reviews offer three highlights of an album and one area that could have been improved.

1. “Goodbye, World, Goodbye”: This song made the group the most-discussed breakout act at NQC 2010 and landed the group a one-song slot on the mainstage. (It likely even helped land this major-label deal with Mansion Entertainment). The lively, inventive a capella treatment that involves tempo changes, beatboxing, and even vocal simulation of assorted brass instruments. 

2. “That’s When the Angels Rejoice”: If you hoped this national debut would include more inventive a capella arrangements on par with “Goodbye World Goodbye,” this is the strongest of the other a capella numers.

3. “I’ve Been on the Mountain”: You might think you know this song from the Bill Gaither Trio or Stamps Quartet renditions. But you’ll barely recognize here—and, somehow, that’s a good thing. Despite the point made in the next paragraph, the Penny Loafers demonstrated with this track that they can extend their trademark vocal creativity to songs with tracks.

:1. One thing I would change: Songs with Tracks. With the exception of “I’ve Been on the Mountain,” the vocal arrangements on the songs with tracks sounded like any other Southern Gospel group’s arrangements. The Penny Loafers’ creative vocal arrangements are among the most unique in our genre. If they’re willing to put in the time and effort to come up with ten stunning vocal arrangements per album, they have what it takes to carve out their own niche and establish themselves as one of our genre’s leading groups. 

Traditional or Progressive

A capella and middle-of-the-road.

Radio Single Picks

“Goodbye World Goodbye,” “That’s When the Angels Rejoice,” “I’ve Been on the Mountain”

Album Rating: 4 Stars

Credits

Producer: The Penny Loafers. • Group members: Michael Hunt, Larry Nichols, Alan Pike, Kevin Slemp. • Review copy provided.  • Song list: Baptized on Sunday; Goodbye World, Goodbye; Ever-Present Help; Great is Thy Faithfulness; Livin’ it Up; That’s When the Angels Rejoice; Jesus, You’re So Wonderful; When God is Leading You; The Lord’s Prayer; I’ve Been on the Mountain.

Note: Apologies to Triumphant fans; Jackie Wilburn’s sudden death delayed the schedule by a day.

3:1 Reviews offer three highlights of an album and one area that could have been improved.

1. Concept: Songs from the Heart highlights two songs written or co-written by each member of the group. It’s a great thought, a concept few other groups could pull off. The concept is so excellent and executed so well that one is predisposed to forgive a sporadic weak or forgettable track.

2. “When It’s All Said and Done” (Scotty Inman) and “Almost Home”: As Jeff Stice said in the liner notes, the rest of the group views Scotty as the only serious writer in the group. Thankfully, the other group members are competent or better and carry the rest of the project. Yet there is no question who’s the Squire Parsons of the bunch.

3. Jeff Stice’s melodies: Jeff wrote “Streets of Gold” and “When the Rapture Comes My Way.” Will either lyric knock your socks off? Even if not, Jeff is an undisputed musical genius and provides two of the projects’ best melodies. He happens to ride a bus each weekend with a top-notch lyricist; perhaps we’ll see collaborations in the future.

4. God Works All Things for Good: This story-song, written by and featuring Eric Bennett, whets the appetite to lead listeners to hope there’s more where that came from.

:1. One thing I would change: “Let’s All Stand For America”: Not Triumphant’s strongest moment. (But see point 1.)

Album Rating: 4 Stars

Traditional or Progressive

Middle-0f-the-road.

Radio Single Picks

“Almost Home” should go to radio, even if this was a table project. (EDIT: Since the review was finished, Triumphant sent it to radio. Not bad!) “God Works All Things for Good” is also radio single quality.

Credits

Producer: Jeff Stice. • Group members: David Sutton (tenor), Clayton Inman (lead), Scotty Inman (baritone), Eric Bennett (bass), Jeff Stice (pianist). • Review copy provided.  • Song list: Be of Good Cheer; Thank You Lord; Praying For Me; When It’s All Said and Done; Streets of Gold; When the Rapture Comes My Way; God Works All Things For Good; Almost Home; Goin’ Up to Heaven; Let’s All Stand For America.