The Joel Hanson Band was founded in Minnesota in 1989. By 1991 they changed their name to Inside Out and signed with Brown Bannister's new label, Vireo Records. They then changed their name to Pray For Rain and in 1992 released their self-titled debut which included 'Do You Want to Know Love'. An instrumental group of the same band name threatened a lawsuit, so the band shortened their name to PFR. In 1993 they put out their second album, GOLDIE'S LAST DAY (Vireo). Group members were Joel Hanson, Patrick Andrew, and Mark Nash. The album was produced by Jimmie Lee Sloas and executive produced by Brown Bannister.
First up is the sizzling pop/rock song, 'Walk Away From Love'. It's addressed to non-Christians: "Maybe I'm right and He's waiting at the table/Maybe it happened when I saw it was my sin/Maybe He's waiting for a chance to show you true love/Maybe you'll never get this chance again/I can't understand why you would walk away from love". 'By Myself' is a song of self-reflection: "I got here by myself but I know that I will never leave the same way/I got here by myself but how many more will I have led astray?/It's not long before I notice there are no doors to be seen/I can see I'm going nowhere, somewhere that I've already been". 'That Kind of Love' is a beautiful ballad with these poetic words: "And, oh, I would give anything to see Him face to face/And, oh, He gave us everything to make the world a better place/And, oh, where does that kind of love come from?/They say that it runs in His blood".
'Dying Man' testifies: "Now I've found freedom/Now mercy holds my hand/It took the grace of One living to save this dying man". 'Spinnin' Round' is simply a fun, catchy pop/rock cut: "Some people say we're crazy, but we're all spinnin' round/But you and me, we've got something to say/We're all spinnin' round, all spinnin' round.../But you and me, we've got something inside/I think we're gonna make it, yeah, yeah".
Next, we come to the title track, 'Goldie's Last Day' inspired by the death of group member Patrick Andrews' golden retriever. This novelty song begins with these thoughts: "Puppy love, puppy love/Yes, she gave all she had/Not like a brother or sister, more like a Mom or a Dad/We never asked her, never gave her a choice/We just barked out commands/'Sit, stay, don't beg, stop licking my hands'/Those days are gone now/I wish Goldie would come out and play". 'Satisfied' is upbeat rock 'n' roll musically. It desires spiritual growth: "Winter, Spring, or Summer, Fall/The seasons never cared at all/That I was never changing/My colors stayed the same/But when days go by and I'm not growing/The leaves fall off to bare what I'm not showing/That I've never had my feet wet/And for that I am to blame".
'I Don't Understand' reminds us God's ways are higher than ours: "I retreat by myself at the back of my brain/I cannot see what You're showing me through this pain/I have found that I have found nothing for so long/I don't understand, I don't need to/I know You've a plan You will see through/It is in Your hands/I believe You". 'Mercy Man' is a good rock song about having hope in Jesus: "He said that all could be forgiven if I could trust in One who'd risen/And that's when His mercy came to me/I was saved by the mercy Man/He touched my heart/He helped me understand that there was shelter in unfailing love if I'd just take the hand, hand of the mercy Man".
What follows is 'Shine', a bouncy pop song about witnessing: "Since He's come into my life He's brought sunshine to my day/I will let my light shine, no more shadows/I will let my light shine/Darkness, run away/I will let my light shine for a bright tomorrow/I will let my light shine". Last up is 'Wait for the Sun' a ballad of encouragement: "So wait for the sun to come out again/Storms always come but they blow away with the wind/So wait for the Son is coming again/Winds of trial blow hard, so we got to hang on, hang on to Him.../He's won greater battles before/What makes you think He won't fight now?"
GOLDIE'S LAST DAY is mostly fast paced pop/rock songs, with two or three ballads mixed in. If you like the vocal stylings of Phil Keaggy and/or The Beatles, this album should appeal to you. God's love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness are central on this CD. Listeners are invited to leave the wrong spiritual paths they are on and come and follow Jesus. He can help us all grow spiritually by His Spirit. We can also share God and all He offers with others. I'm rating this fun, 'summery' sounding album 87.5%. For more info connect with the group on social media.