Average Song Rating: 3.8 stars (of 5)

Producer: Roger Talley.

Song List: Realms of Glory Bright; I’ve Never Been Loved Like You; Winds of This World; Calvary and Amazing Grace; I Will Sing of My Redeemer; My Hope Is In the Lord; Comfort Me; Jesus You Are; Hallelujah Praise the Lamb; Life Goes On.

Available from: Artist, Label.

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The Talley Trio’s upcoming release Life Goes On is somewhat unique, perhaps more for the process than the result. The trio’s label, Crossroads, started a website intended to create an online community to offer input on the project’s recording process. This website, www.talleytree-o.com, was a success. Hundreds of fans signed up for email notification of new posts and came back to offer input as the project progressed.

The group also sought input from the typical sources (others involved in the recording process, record label staff, other industry types) and didn’t always go with the consensus on the website. (Case in point: Album Cover.) But they ended up adopting several suggestions from commenters, even including a production idea I had. In the song “Realms of Glory Bright,” the second chorus closes with the words “And there was silence as the cross was lifted high / In the realms of glory bright.” In the initial tracking session, orchestration was brought in to create a musical crescendo at that phrase. I posted a comment suggesting that decreasing the number / volume of instruments might better accompany the idea of silence in Heaven. To my astonishment, Roger Talley agreed, and changed the soundtrack to reflect that idea.

For me, the highlight of a Talley Trio recording is typically their ballads, and this project has a strong selection. “Realms of Glory Bright” and “I Will Sing of My Redeemer” are the two strongest new ballads; they also brought back the Talleys classic “Hallelujah, Praise the Lamb,” altering the soundtrack just enough to give it a new feel without ruining the song.

The title track, penned by Marty Funderburk and Gina Boe, has a catchy melody and provides a strong finish to the album.

Finally, a word about the rating. I will probably include an explanation each time I give a 5-star rating, explaining what set the project apart from the rest. Based on personal taste alone, I would have given the project either 4 or 4.5 stars. But I try to base ratings on comparable projects, comparing an Inspirations album to other Appalachian Gospel recordings, and a Dixie Echoes album to other Traditional Quartet recordings. Comparing this Talley Trio project to other comparable projects, I concluded that it hits its mark. It contains the typical stylistic mix expected on a Talley Trio album, but the songs selected from each style include some of the best the group has found over the years.

The lineup of the new N’Harmony is lead singer Shane Dunlap (N’Harmony and Signature Sound) is Tenor Brent Mitchell (Mercy’s Mark), Baritone Chris Whitaker (Won by One and Crystal River), and Bass Will Van Wyngarden (Journeymen Quartet). Dunlap said, “I have been thinking about a return for along time, but I wanted to find the right guys with the same exact goals. Every single guy in this group has their priorities in order.”

They are finishing a project of Southern Gospel favorites and will begin touring in mid-October. Clips of the group can be heard at www.myspace.com/nharmonyquartet.

Kelly Nelon Clark said of the change: “We’ve had a wonderful time helping to build a music ministry at our home church but we are so excited to be traveling and singing once again and have missed seeing our friends across the country and look forward to the opportunities ahead and carrying on the musical heritage that my father (Rex Nelon) began over 30 years ago.”

They are booked by the Dominion Agency.

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/.

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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.

• 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?

Crabb Family (Central City, KY, 8/27/08)

Kitson seems to handle the highest notes without any strain, with the only instance of a facial expression evincing a sign of particular concentration being on the sustained final note.