LARRY NORMAN TOTALLY UNPLUGGED

In 1994 Christian music pioneer Larry Norman released a handful of albums including TOTALLY UNPLUGGED-(a)LIVE AND KICKING (Street Level Records).  The album cover shows that Larry had no shortage of hair at the time!

The concert begins with crowd applause and shouting as Larry takes the stage.  Larry shares that he did not sleep well the night before.  He jokes: “I hope you slept well so one of us will be awake during this evening.”  After some weird vocal acrobatics, Larry and his guitar launch into an old favourite ‘Watch What You’re Doing’.  The song reminds us our actions on this earth do indeed matter: “I knew a girl, she was sweet as could be/But she fell for a man like a chain-sawwed tree/She listened to his lies/She was fooled by his charms/Now she’s sitting with a baby in her arms/You gotta watch what you’re doing…It ain’t no good to live a life of sin/If you don’t shape up, walk straight, you know you can’t get in/You gotta watch what you’re doing/Cause He does.”  Larry introduces the next song ‘White Trash Stomp’ as a song about Corpus Christi and his Grandpa who was a barber and his Grandma who ran a chili restaurant.  Larry jokes that he’s never going to sing this song again.  Here are some of the playful words: “Me and my sister and my brother too/We sing in the desert like the coyotes do/Yes, we’re accidental touring in the human zoo-ow ow oww…Going up to Charles’ town/I’m goin’ see my ma/Feet up on the ottoman with my old pa/Then head for the kitchen, we’ll sit around and jaw/Over skillet cornbread we’ll discuss the law/Black-eyed peas, collard greens/Rochambeau, it’s time to go.”  Larry says the next song ‘Step into the Madness’ is about America, but mostly Los Angeles.  Either way the song uses sarcasm to make its point: “Step into the madness as a thousand points of light/Illuminate the warheads for the final fight/Step into the madness, say your prayers and drink your tea/Get ready for a kinder, gentler world war three/This is America, land of the free/Everyone gets justice and liberty if they got the money.”

Next up is one of Larry’s signature rebel songs ‘Why Should the Devil Have all the Good Music?’  The lyrics find him taking on his critics: “I want the people to know that He saved my soul/But I still like to listen to the radio/They say rock ‘n’ roll is wrong/Well, give you one more chance/I say I feel so good I’m gonna get up and dance/I know what’s right, I know what’s wrong, I don’t confuse it, uh, uh/All I’m really trying to say is ‘Why should the devil have all the good music?’/I feel good every day/Jesus is the Rock and He rolled my blues away.”  It is clear that the audience particularly likes this song.  It must be noted that this version includes Larry screeching like a rooster at one point and coughing!  A memorable moment for sure!  ‘Weight of the World’ is a pretty ballad not written by Larry.  It’s about family baggage that gets carried invisibly from one generation to the next.  The Bible says the sins of the fathers are visited on the third and fourth generations.  Larry says we should love and forgive each other.  Here are some of the lyrics: “Maybe your father didn’t love you like he should/Maybe your mother just held on the best she could/Everyone has a secret/Give it away or keep it/You’ve got to try and let it go/You carry the weight, the weight of the world/It’s breaking you down/On your back like a boulder/Before it’s too late, get rid of it girl/Get it off of your shoulder/You’ve been abused/But you can lose the weight of the world/It all comes down to who you crucify/You either kiss the future or the past goodbye/God can help you fly.”

Those who have watched a friend or loved one sink into depression will be able to relate to ‘Baby’s Got the Blues’.  Larry sings: “At night she lays in bed/With secrets in her head/With pain too deep for words/Nothing can be heard/But the sound of her breathing/Mercies and angels up above/Heaven please help the one I love/Guide the direction that she goes/Watch every step, each hidden stone/Please let her know she’s not alone/Give her the strength to trust in everything she knows.”  Larry digs into his back catalogue for ‘I Hope I’ll See You in Heaven’ which includes these words of regret: “As though youth were my invention/As though love lay undefined/To stay free was my intention/To stay young and unconfined/And so I held my pride above you/Oh yes, what a fool was I/Holding back those words ‘I love you’ and letting out that word ‘Goodbye’/I was wrong to let you go/I was a child and I did not know about the love that we both could have given.”

During ‘A Woman of God’ Larry jokes about being lousy at song leading, but invites the crowd to sing with him.  The song speaks of the wife of noble character: “I need a woman who doesn’t take drugs/Don’t mess with men/Believes the Bible, despises sin/Lifts me up instead of knocking me down/Follows God instead of running around/I need a woman who’s kind and true/I haven’t found her but until I do/I’ll be looking for a woman of God/A woman with a righteous heart.”  ‘Let the Rain Fall Down on Me’ has Larry giving us advice and offering up a prayer: “As through this life you ramble, through this world you roam/You might live in a lot of places and never find a home/As down this road you wander and through open fields you’ve crossed/You must never stop believing for all is not lost/And don’t worry ‘bout the unfaithful lover and false friend/For the love that you have given them is what matters in the end/Heavenly Father, help me Thine to be/You let the rain fall on the quick and the dead/So let the rain fall down on me.”

‘All the Way Home’ depicts our lives as a journey: “Sometimes I get so weary from this road/Life gets so bad I start to laugh/My mind becomes so weary, I wanna give up/But I’ve got to keep on looking for the right path/Let this good life be the life I lead/And let my faith grow like a mustard seed/Let Your love be all the love I need to carry me all the way Home.”  The album ends with ‘I Will Survive’ which includes these beautiful words: “As the seasons go by in my Father’s world my eyes grow dim/I will trust not in the things I see/But bow my heart and lift my hands to Him/Though my days ahead are numbered/My life is rich, I have not slumbered/I will survive (2X)/Some hearts are pierced by love long lost/Let my heart be pierc-ed by the cross/I will survive (2X).”

This live concert CD is a must have for Larry Norman fans.  It features just Larry and his acoustic guitar largely performing songs from his then fairly new studio album STRANDED IN BABYLON, which is a masterpiece.  Larry seems to be in a good mood for this concert despite many health battles.  The concert has an intimate feel to it and Larry’s voice is relatively strong.  Fans of seasoned veteran artists such as Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen should give this a spin.  I’m rating TOTALLY UNPLUGGED-(a)LIVE AND KICKING 90%.  For more info visit www.larrynorman.com.

THE SKY IS FALLING

In 1980 Randy Stonehill released THE SKY IS FALLING (Solid Rock Records).  Randy wrote all ten songs, while Larry Norman produced and arranged.

The album opens with ‘One True Love’, a great pop song with Norman on harmony and backing vocals, a role familiar to him throughout the album.  The song admits that we need a relationship with our Maker: “Don’t try being a loner/Cause that’s your first mistake/Go on once and admit that you need a break/Well, we all need a break/You need One True Love/Someone who’s always there/Don’t try to act like you don’t care.”  ‘Through the Glass Darkly’ is a light pop song that includes these unfortunately too often realistic depressing lyrics: “All our superstars are suicidal casualties/And our heroes die in motel rooms and motorcades/Well, it seems like all our dreams turn into tragedies/And I wonder if we’ll learn from the mistakes we’ve made/Now I’m waiting at the bus stop for the bus to arrive/And I know there must be more to life than staying alive/Well, I don’t know where I’m going when I climb in/But it can’t be any emptier than where I’ve been.”

‘Teen King’, if written today, could be about Justin Bieber: “Well, you made yourself a name and you’re sitting on top of the world/And you smile like a heartbreaker shaking up little girls/And every night when you walk on stage/It’s always just the same/You’ve got 20,000 people screaming out your name/They come to see the teen king/Now they call you the teen king/And all the crazy nights/And the flash of the lights just leave you blinking.”  ‘Venezuela’ is a song that longs for a renewed friendship with a brother: “My best friend’s in Venezuela/And he sent me a letter and a photograph/Well, I miss him so you know/His letters always make me laugh/We’ve gone our separate ways to see the world/But I can still hear him say/’You go north and Randy I’ll go south/And I’ll meet you for a song in L.A.’/And I believe/Oh I believe/I’m gonna meet that boy halfway.”

‘The Great American Cure’ is a humorous indictment against our fascination with the boob tube, and features electric guitar and mouth organ: “I went to the doctor all nervous and crazy/I told him the way things were/He smiled quite nicely and without thinking twice he said/’Just try the great American cure/Put your brain in neutral/Turn on the television set/Kick off your shoes and don’t worry/They haven’t cut the power off yet.’”  ‘Jamey’s got the Blues’ speaks of how seriously depression can affect individuals: “And I remember nights Jamey and I would do the town/But now she never leaves her room and whenever I’m around/There’s just not much to say/It’s almost as if we were strangers there/Just filling the room/And it looks like Jamey’s blues became her tomb.”

‘Counterfeit King’ takes aim at the devil: “So beware of the words that he’ll whisper to your heart/For he’ll burn you with his twisted tongue of fire/And the song that he sings, it’s like poison/To the soul/He’s the counterfeit king and he’s a liar/He’s just a liar/A beautiful liar.”  ‘Bad Fruit’ has a calypso feel to it (think Boney M).  It encourages us to hunger and thirst for righteous things: “We’re all born with a hunger we just can’t seem to feed/Yet all the things we struggle for are not the things we need/But the man who seeks the Lord of life will find his life indeed/Satisfaction guaranteed/Don’t eat of that bad fruit/Don’t drink of that sweet wine/It may look great from a distance, but it gets you every time.”

‘Emily’ is a terribly tragic song that begins with orchestration: “I will not forget my sister’s face/The day that she died/Such a frail little girl/I remember how I cried/When she reached out to squeeze my hand/I knew her time had come/And when her fingers slipped from mine/I knew that it was done/Oh sweet Emily, you’re going Home/Sweet Emily, and I can’t go.”  ‘Trouble Coming’ an urgent rock number, closes the album and reminds us that our earthly abode won’t last forever: “I see trouble coming on silent wings of death/There’s a fevered hand that’s crushing out our breath/I see trouble coming closer every day/Like a vulture circling its prey/I just gotta get away (2X)/I keep having these falling dreams/And I wake up screaming/I don’t really know just what they mean/But my nightmare never ends/Over and over and over and over/The sky is falling!”

Fans of pop/rock male artists such as Rick Cua and Bryan Adams will like this album.  Though it is not Stonehill’s most creative batch of songs ever, as the album seems to try a bit too hard to fit into the Larry Norman formula, there are several good songs here.  The songs here present faith as relevant to everyday life situations.  I’m rating THE SKY IS FALLING 84%.  For more info visit www.randystonehill.com.

STREAMS OF WHITE LIGHT INTO DARKENED CORNERS: PART ONE

In 1977 one of the more unique albums in the history of CCM dropped.  Larry Norman released STREAMS OF WHITE LIGHT INTO DARKENED CORNERS-PART ONE (AB Records).  It is a project that parodies the efforts of mainstream artists who write and perform songs of a spiritual nature. 
 

Randy Stonehill plays West Coast DJ ‘The Surf Duke’ and introduces ‘Spirit in the Sky’ as a deep theological study by Norman Greenbaum.  The song features mocking backing vocals that put you in mind of a cartoon.  Here are some of the words: “When I die and they lay me to rest/I’m gonna go to the place that’s the best/When I lay me down to die/Going up to the Spirit in the sky…/Never been a sinner, I never sin/I got a friend in Jesus/So you know that when I die/He’s gonna set me up with the Spirit in the sky.”  Larry humorously interjects “That’s bad.”  Gene ‘Snowbird’ MacLellan’s ‘Put your hand in the Hand’ is next.  Larry performs it for the most part with reverence, and a slight country feel: “Every time I look into the Holy Book I start to tremble/When I read about the part/Where the Carpenter cleared the temple/Because those buyers and the sellers/Weren’t much different fellers than what I profess to be/And it causes me shame to know that I’m not the man that I could be.”
 

Next DJ Stonehill says: “Okay, why don’t we kick back and listen to a hot little trilogy of faith, hope, and royalties, ha, ha. By Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison.”  ‘Bridge Over Troubled Waters’ has a sound that will please fans of Norman’s ‘I am a Servant’.  It is about true friendship or God’s care for us: “When you’re down and out, when you’re on the street/When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you, oh I will take your heart when darkness comes/And pain is all around/And like a bridge over troubled water/I will lay me down.”  ‘Let it Be’ is short.  It’s funny hearing Larry singing Catholic inspired words: “When I find myself in times of trouble/Mother Mary comes to me/Speaking words of wisdom ‘Let it Be’/And in my darkest hour/She is standing right in front of me/Speaking words of wisdom ‘Let it Be’/Let it be (4X)/There will be an answer/Let it be.”
 

‘My Sweet Lord’ has a classic rock feel to it, with nice background vocals.  It includes these familiar lyrics: “I really wanna show you/I really wanna go with You/I really wanna show You Lord/It won’t take long my Lord/Hallelujah/My sweet Lord.”  Larry cleverly adds “I’m so bored” because of the repetitive nature of the song and there is laughter at the end of the track.  Eric Clapton’s ‘Presence of the Lord’ is a well executed classic rock song with electric guitar emphasis.  It talks of finding a spiritual home: “I have finally found a way to live/Like I never could before/And I know that I don’t have much to give/But soon I’ll open any door/Everybody knows the secret/Everybody, everybody knows the score/I have finally found a place to live/In the presence of the Lord.”
 

Two Randy Newman songs are next.  ‘I Think He’s Hiding’ is a ballad which Larry sings in a mocking, overly dramatic tone.  Here are some of the awful lyrics: “If the Big Boy/Comes tomorrow/There’ll be no more teardrops/There’ll be no more sorrow/If the Big Boy comes tomorrow/Will He take you with Him?/Have you been good?/Have you been bad?/If you haven’t lived the way you should/You wish you had.”  ‘He gives us all His love’ is an easy listening number that would have fit nicely on Norman’s IN ANOTHER LAND.  The song contains words of comfort: “He knows how hard we try/He hears the babies cry/He sees the old folks die/And He gives us all His love/Now if you need someone to talk to/You can always talk to Him/And if you need someone to lean on/You can lean on Him (2X)/He gives us all His love (2X).”
 

Larry introduces the first of two Leon Russell tunes, ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’, in a crazy preacher’s voice: “Do you sometimes feel like a stranger in a strange land, walking through the desert, looking for the Prince of Peace, but your feet stick in the sand?/Is that what’s troubling you bubby? Well, never give up!”  ‘Prince of Peace’ is upbeat and reminds us we may at any moment be entertaining angels unaware: “Never treat a brother like a passing stranger/Always try to keep your love light burnin’/Listen closely to his song and watch his eyes/Oh, he might be the Prince of Peace returnin’…/Never be impatient with the ones you love/Cause it might just be yourself that you’re burnin’/Listen only to their song and watch their eyes/Oh you might see the Prince of Peace returnin’.”
 

DJ Stonehill says the next song is by Jackson Browne.  Stonehill remarks that some call Browne a prophet of the 70’s, while others say he’s just making a profit in the 70’s, ha, ha, ha. ‘Song for Adam’ is a pretty story song: “Together we went travelling/As we received the call/His destination India/And I had none at all/But I still remember laughing with our backs against the wall/So free of fear, we never thought that one of us might fall.”  The album ends with the Rolling Stones feel good rock number ‘Shine a Light’.  Larry does his best Mick Jagger imitation on this song which has a chorus that rings out like a benediction: “May the good Lord shine a light on you/Make every song you sing your favourite tune/May the good Lord shine a light on you/Yeah, like the evening sun.”
 

While there is certainly plenty of good natured fun poking going on on this album, Larry also delivers some dandy, shining musical moments that make this a true collectable.  Fans of Weird Al, the Swirling Eddies, and Mark Lowry will appreciate the humour.  Fans of mainstream pop and rock classics with spiritual lyrics should also give this project a listen.  A listen to see how these songs take on new life when tackled by a CCM pioneer.  I’m rating STREAMS OF WHITE LIGHT INTO DARKENED CORNERS: PART ONE  87.5%.  For more info visit www.larrynorman.com.

WELCOME TO THE WONDERAMA

Randall Evan Stonehill, better known as Randy, was born on March 12, 1952.  In 1991 this CCM legend released WONDERAMA (Myrrh Records).
 

The album begins with the title track ‘Wonderama’.  It is one of several co-writes with producer Terry Scott Taylor.  It sounds sunny musically and finds Burleigh Drummond playing sleigh bells, glockenspiel, cymbal swells, chimes, kettle drums, and shaker.  The song is allegorical: “In the spotlight is a silhouette/Of a dragon breathing fire/And the battle begins as the soldiers of tin/Brave the great high wire/By the morning all the world is saved/Through a noble sacrifice/They were all amazed when the King laid down His life/The sweethearts kiss on the springtime wedding day/And the patrons sigh knowing love can be that way.”  ‘I Will Follow’ has Terry Taylor, Rick and Linda Elias, and Riki Michelle on  background vocals.  It is a mellow song of great faith: “I can’t say what is going to be/What tomorrow may bring to me/But I know with certainty/You will see me through/With a love that’s true/So faithfully/Ah, ah, ah/Where You lead me I will follow/Ah, ah, ah/I will follow You.”
 

‘Barbie Nation’ is an upbeat pop song that speaks of how our culture foolishly overvalues physical appearance: “You’re sexy and driven and doomed to succeed/You’ll get what you want but it’s nothing you need/And echoed in the heartache you conceal/Is something good, something real/She was told that in the end/Every Barbie gets her Ken/Lie, lie, lie, no such guy, just pretend/We pull the strings, wind the doll/We create the myth that she can have it all/It’s a sin.”  ‘Don’t be Sad’, co-written with Angelo Natalie, encourages us to live in the present: “Now we all cry so many useless tears/Over heartache we can’t forget/And it’s a crime to waste our precious time/Shackled by those old regrets/Yesterday is gone forever/And tomorrow hasn’t happened yet.”
 

‘Rachel Delevoryas’ is a moving story song about a girl from Randy’s childhood.  The song relates how cruel children can be to children who are different: “Rachel Delevoryas/Was eating her lunch as the boys walked by/’Rachel is ugly’ she heard them shout/She sat on the schoolyard bench and cried and/It was clear that she’d never be one of us/With her dowdy clothes/And her violin/And a name like Rachel Delevoryas.”  Next up is a short, classical piece ‘Intermission at the Wonderama’, featuring violins, cello, and viola.
 

‘Great Big Stupid World’ showcases Randy’s humor and admits that our world is feverishly spinning out of control: “Well, we’re studying the National Enquirer/Is it true Sonny Bono is the Anti-Christ?/We debate if T.V. wrestling is really a sport/While we’re testing rock ‘n’ roll and its effects on mice/Bonding with our little computer screens/Getting anorexic on our Lean Cuisines/Turning plastic surgeons into millionaires/So everybody finally gets to look like Cher.”  ‘Sing in Portuguese’ makes use of the voices of a mariachi band.  It is a touching song which includes these words about Randy’s grandmother: “She lies so still now in her snowy white hospital bed/With the life that she loved so much/Still going on in her head/She’s there in her kitchen and laughter is filling the room/Or her garden in spring with her roses in bloom/Now she smiles like she knows me/Though I’m never sure who she sees/But her eyes still light up when I sing in Portuguese.”
 

‘Mice and Men’ is a pleasant sounding pop song that reminds us we are not ultimately in control of everything: “And all the clever plans of mice and of men/Tangle up like a ball of string/Try as we might to simply pretend/They were so important/Ah, they never really changed a thing.”  Dave Raven plays drums, Tim Chandler plays bass, and Jerry Chamberlain is on lead guitar.  ‘The Lost Parade’ features the Los Angeles Chapter of The Salvation Army Horns.  The song includes these poetic words: “And the big rock spins in space/In its lonely circle dance/Like a ghostly ballerina/Trapped within her trance/And we praise the feast of fools/And we shun the Bread of Life/And the stars shine like the tears of God/For the weary world tonight.”
 

‘Lantern in the Snow’ calls the prodigal in all of us back home: “A dreamer’s song whispered in your ear/And you searched through the restless years/For the prize that was always here/Just for you, a gift for you/Through the wintery veil you cried/Let your memory be your guide/To the peace and the warmth inside/Just for you, a gift for you.”  ‘Wonderama Postlude’ is a short instrumental featuring accordion and calliope, that ends the album.
 

WONDERAMA should please fans of the Beatles and James Taylor.  It is artistic and creative.  It is, in many ways, more thoughtful than much of what is played on CCM radio today.  My only beef is that the album suffers from pacing problems at the end.  It needs a faster-paced song near the end.  I’m rating WONDERAMA 85%.  For more info visit: www.randystonehill.com

THE BEST OF LARRY NORMAN

Christian rock pioneer Larry Norman lived from 1947 to 2008.  In 1990 the bootleg THE BEST OF LARRY NORMAN surfaced.  The next year Phydeaux Records released it as CONFISCATED.  I had a t-shirt with the cover artwork on it.

The almost hour long CD begins with ‘Soul on Fire’, a funk-filled testimony song: “When I was a young man/Temptation was all around/You know when darkness finds you/It slips up behind you/And tries to knock you to the ground/But I just kept on walkin’/I was so inspired/Because Jesus, He set my soul on fire.”  ‘Righteous Rocker’ has a rock and roll feel to it and draws from some of Paul’s words in the New Testament: “You can be a brilliant surgeon or a sweet young virgin/Or a harlot out to sell/You can learn to play the blues/Or be Howard Hughes or the Scarlet Pimpernel/You can be a French provincial midwife/Or go from door to door with a death knife/But without love/You ain’t nothin’, without love.”
 

‘Stop this Flight’ is an autobiographical song about the toll being on the road so much took on Larry’s body: “Sixteen hours from London, flying on a DC-10/You know, I wonder if when that plane sets down/I’ll ever be able to walk again/I spent thirty-five days in Europe/Singing ‘til my voice is gone/You know there’s never time enough to get a good night’s sleep/What is this road that I’ve been running on?/I’ve got to stop  this flight/I’ve got to get back to earth/Hey, I’m a human being/God knows what that’s worth.”  ‘Gonna Write a Song about You for the Radio’ is a fun old school rock and roll love song: “It’s hard for me to say the things I feel/I’ve been in love before but not for real/I love you baby, want the world to know/I’m gonna write a song about you for the radio/Oo-wee, baby, oo-wee/Love has finally come and got the best of me/Wee-oo, baby, wee-oo/My number’s up and I belong to you.”
 

‘Don’t You Wanna Talk About It’ is a plea for a reconciled relationship with a Christian brother, likely Randy Stonehill: “Kingdoms of earth, they don’t mean nothing to me/I’d give my life if it would help you be free/This ain’t the way that God intends it to be/Don’t you wanna talk about it?/I called your lawyer, but he said you were gone/I didn’t see you cause your headlights weren’t on/You shut the door and faded into the dawn/Don’t you wanna talk about it?”  ‘If the Bombs Fall’ is a beautiful, vulnerable ballad: “You and I are still so very young/And with love the best is yet to come/God has let me choose you/I don’t want to lose you/Who can say tomorrow will find its way?/Who can say the sun will shine today?/Baby I adore you/That’s why I’m living for you.”
 

‘Sweet Dreams’ is a powerful duet with Mikko Knustonen that waxes cynical: “What about Cinderella and her glass shoe?/She lived happily ever after, yeah, but none of it is true/What about King Midas, when everything turned gold/It’s all right when we are children, but not when we are old/Sweet dreams/Fading before the dawn.”  ‘Woman of God’ is a live cut that contains words of wisdom for single Christian men in their search for love: “I need a woman who knows the measure of what she’s worth/Stores up treasure but not on earth/Seeks God’s will in all that’s done/And keeps her eyes on the Holy One/I need a woman who’s kind and true/I haven’t found her but until I do/I’ll be looking for a woman of God/A woman with a righteous heart/You know I’m looking for a woman of God/Who doesn’t easily fall apart.”

‘Shot Down’ is a bouncy, pointed response from Larry to his many critics: “I’ve been rebuked for the things I’ve said/For the songs I’ve written and the life I’ve led/They say they don’t understand me, well I’m not surprised/Cause you can’t see nothing when you close your eyes/They say I’m sinful, backslidden/That I have left to follow fame/But here I am talkin’ bout Jesus just the same.”  ‘Out of my System’ finds Larry saying goodbye to an unfaithful partner: “You ran around with other men/Ooh, you made love and kissed ‘em/But now you’re gone, do what you want/I don’t care/You’re out of my system.”
 

‘Messiah’ has a haunting sound musically and is highly prophetic: “Red clouds blotted out the sun/Darkness fell on everyone/Rivers of blood were running/I could see the armies coming/I could see their weapons falling/I could hear the angels calling/Messiah took this world by force.”  ‘I Hope I’ll See You in Heaven’ is easy listening in nature but laments over a missed opportunity on this planet: “I was wrong to let you go/I was a child and I did not know/About the love that we both could have given/And now you’re gone so far away/I hope I’ll see you again someday/But if I don’t, I hope I’ll see you in heaven.”
 

The last two songs are Charly Norman rarities, he being Larry’s brother.  ‘It Could’ve Been You’ features a Bowie-like delivery and speaks of the difficulty involved with breaking romantic ties: “So many years have passed/The time we had was brief/The faith I had in love has turned to disbelief/And someone different now who stirs me from my sleep/I think I love her but there’s thoughts of you I keep.”  I can hear the Stones doing the last track, ‘Why do you do the things you Do?’  It is the song of a frustrated lover: “The problem never goes away/You always look the other way/But now you know I’m leaving and you look so surprised/Why can’t you get it/That we’re finished, we’re through?/I’m tired of hangin’ upside down/I got no time for sympathizin’/When I’m cloudin’ my horizon with you/Why do you do the things you do?”
 

What I like about THE BEST OF LARRY NORMAN is that it doesn’t go the predictable route and draw mostly from his highly acclaimed trilogy albums from the 1970’s.  Instead, what we encounter here is an eclectic, interesting collection of songs, several of which are on par quality wise with Larry’s mainstream contemporaries.  I’m rating this project 90%.  For more info visit www.larrynorman.com.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE

As I was growing up, my family and I would attend hymn sings in the Tillsonburg, Ontario area. Groups such as The Proverbs, The Watchmen, and The Nations would perform. So would the The Torchmen Quartet. They began in 1969 when four men met at Fairview Mennonite Brethren Church in St. Catherines, Ontario. Today the Torchmen are Mike Moran, Sandy MacGregor, Jon Hisey, and Jeff Tritton. Mike Moran was born in Cambridge, Ontario and joined the group the year they formed. For many years Mike also hosted ‘Gospel North’, a radio show in the Niagara Region. Sandy MacGregor was born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario. He has been a member of The Watchmen Quartet, The Chapelaires, The Royal City Quartet, The Singing Canadians, and Damascus. In the eighties he sang lead for The Torchmen, now he sings tenor. Jon Hisey grew up in St. Catherines, Ontario. He officially started singing with the Torchmen in 1983, just after his Uncle John had left them. Jeff Tritton used to minister to kids with a ventriloquist dummy named ‘Elfred’. He first joined the group in 1992. Over the years the Torchmen have gained great notoriety for their talents and Gospel message, even performing at the National Quartet Convention in the United States. Their latest release A NEW PERSPECTIVE (2012) was recorded at Grant Avenue Studios in Hamilton, Ontario. Of it, Mark Trammell says: “The Torchmen have found yet another level of consistency and integrity through taking timeless traditions and bring new light and a fresh approach to old standards while never losing the original impact of the song.”


‘I Want to Make a Difference’ is a real toe-tapper and uses banjo: “I wanna testify/God is still the only One/I wanna make a good impression/When I make my confession by what the Lord has done/I wanna sing for my Lord and my King/Do my best to see Him get the glory/I wanna make a difference/With the One who made the difference in me.” ‘I’ll Keep on Leaning’ is a nice ballad of gratitude to God written by D. Britt: “All those times I’ve gone astray/All the times I’ve lost my way/The Shepherd reached out into the cold/To bring this sheep back to the fold/And no matter how far astray I’d be/Those Arms are reaching out for me/Safe in His everlasting Arms/I’ll keep on leaning.”

‘Just One More Song’ has a celebratory feel to it and was written by Rebecca Peck: “Give me just one more song to sing/Give me just one more verse to glorify the King/Give me just one more day/In this symphony of life/Give me just one more breath to lift the name of Jesus Christ/Give me just one more song to sing.” ‘I Will Pray’ begins with these words of wisdom: “I won’t wait till I’m walking in the valley/Or I’m caught up in the fury of a storm/No it won’t take times of desperation/To push me to my knees/And make me call out to my Lord/I will pray/Pray in the morning/Pray in the noonday sun.”

‘Fair Exchange’ uses harmonica and has an upbeat country feel to it. It includes these spoken words: “The Bible says in Romans chapter eight, verse one ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.’ So the next time Satan wants to put you in chains, you look him in the eye and say ‘By the blood of Jesus Christ I am a free man.’” ‘Wish You Were Here’ is a sentimental ballad written by M. Williams and popularized by The Kingsmen. Here are the words to the chorus: “Wish you were here/It’s such a beautiful place/Wish you were here/Nothing but clear sunny days/It never rains and no one complains/We haven’t seen a tear/We’re having a great time/Wish you were here.”

‘City in the Sky’ by Richard Ash, has a Gaither Homecoming feel to it: “I met a new saint of God/She’d been travelling a long, long time/Seen a lot of pain and heartache/But she’d left it all behind/I said ‘Sister, tell me/Aren’t you weary of the life you’ve led?’/She said ‘I’m not troubled with where I’ve been cause I know what’s up ahead.’” ‘Light at the End of the Darkness’ encourages us not to give in to despair: “There is hope in that land for the hopeless/There’s a soothing balm for pain and misery/It’s as near as your faith/It sometimes seems fleeting/I was blind when it finally shined on me/There’s a light at the end of the darkness/So look up when you are down and try to believe.”

‘I Remember the Time’ is a testimony song that I can hear doo-wop influences on: “I can tell you ‘bout the time/I can take you to the place/Where the Lord saved me/By His wonderful grace/And I cannot tell you how/And I cannot tell you why/But He’ll tell me all about it/In the by and by.” ‘In the Cross’ takes the posture of a servant: “So I turn to the road ahead/Forgetting all I used to be/In answer to the call of the One who died to set me free/Friends and fame, riches and power/For His cross I will set aside/In His mighty shadow/Let me hide.”

‘Over the Door’ is a faster paced number that reminds us our denomination doesn’t save us: “Some people think today/If heaven you would see/You must belong to their one church/Or be lost eternally/But according to God’s Word/What He’s still looking for/Is what He finds within your heart and not what’s over the door.” So true! ‘I’d Rather Have Jesus’ really puts things into perspective: “I’d rather have Jesus than man’s applause/I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause/And I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame/I’d rather be true to His holy Name/Than to be the king of a vast domain/Or to be held in sin’s dread sway.”

In short, The Torchmen Quartet have still got it going on. Their group harmonies and solos sound great! The group is excited about their faith which is alive and well. Not every group could weather so many member changes over the years and still sound as cohesive as they do. This is a bona fide recording. Fans of Gold City should buy this one. I’m rating A NEW PERSPECTIVE 90%. For more info visit www.torchmen.com.

CLAY CROSSE'S reDEDICATION

Walter Clayton Crossnoe was born on February 11, 1967. He grew up in Memphis, TN and became a Christian when he was thirteen. He married his high school sweetheart Renee in 1990. They have four kids and two of them were adopted from China. Clay Crosse’s debut album was 1993’s MY PLACE IS WITH YOU. In 1995 he won a Dove Award for ‘Best New Artist of the Year’. Over the years he has been known for such songs as ‘I Surrender All’, ‘His Love is Strong’, ‘Saving the World’, and ‘I Will Follow Christ’, the latter of which featured BeBe Winans and Bob Carlisle. In 2010 Clay threw his fans a curve and gave us a terrific Americana album, EVERYTIME I FEEL THE SPIRIT. Now he is back on the scene with rededication (2012).


The album starts out with the wonderful first AC single ‘I Rest in You’. Clay wrote it with Brian White, and album producer Regie Hamm. Hamm actually co-writes seven of the ten songs presented. This opening song begins with these words of testimony: “You’re the peace that passes understanding/In a world that’s changing/You’re the hope that’s everlasting/When the walls are crashing down/You’re the love that’s greater than/The doubt that tries to steal my faith and/You’re the only truth that I have found.” ‘reDedication’ is a touching ballad about a spiritual homecoming: “I’m so amazed at what You’ve brought me through/So I give my life back to You/Rededication/Rededicating myself to the One/Who’s my only salvation/To the One with His arms open wide/The One who is Lord of my life/Rededication.”

‘Vessel’ written by Regie Hamm, Fred Wilhelm, and Nick DePartee finds Clay desiring to be involved in God’s purposes here on earth: “From the deep blue sea/To the tops of the mountains/It all points back to You/And I’m on my knees/Praying You make me an instrument You use/So pour over me.” The first INSP single is ‘Your River’s Wide Enough’ written by Bernie Herms and Jennie Lee Riddle (Revelation Song). This single is a great song of praise: “Love pours out/Grace flows down/You’re everywhere, all around/Your mercy runs, a vast supply/Healing rains from Your side/Your river’s wide enough/Your river’s wide.”

Isaiah 55:9 reads: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” ‘Waving a White Flag’ is a soulful, gospel influenced number that documents how hard it is to kill the old man, which is the flesh: “I don’t know why I ever fought You/Why I dodge You, but I confess/That all of Your ways are so much higher/And You always know what’s best…I’m at the end of myself/This game of tug of war is through/Surrendering everything/I dedicate my life to You.” ‘Working on a Building’ has a crazily funky groove to it and features Russ Taff and Melinda Doolittle. Doolittle was the third place finalist on Season 6 of American Idol, and before that sang backup for the likes of Aaron Neville and Carman. The song here, reminds us not to be passive in our spiritual lives: “Workin’ on a chamber/Where principalities will never rule/Workin’ on a mansion/More than forty acres and a mule/Buildin’ on a bedrock/Cause I wanna be wise and not a fool, not a fool…/Workin’ on a building/Where the enemy will never trod/Workin’ on a building/Where I am at home at last with God.”

Clay co-wrote the memorable track ‘When I Lift my Hands’ with Regie Hamm and Chuck Butler. It praises the Lord for who He is and for giving us our daily bread: “You’re the promise and the hope that gets me through each day/And You provide the strength I need to walk within Your way/And I could never fully know the depth of who You are/But I will try to reach You/When I lift my hands.” Next up is a track covered in part in 2006 by Michael W. Smith. ‘The Stand’ was written by Joel Houston just a year before. Many know him from Hillsong United. The chorus paints a beautiful picture of one who is worshipping: “So I’ll stand with arms high and heart abandoned/In awe of the One who gave it all/I’ll stand, my soul Lord to You surrendered/All I am is Yours.”

‘All Because of You’ is a well crafted song. The chorus distinguishes the Christian music star from non-believing performers: “I return the glory to/The One whom it belongs/Every time I lift my voice/Any time I sing these songs/I say it honestly/Anything that’s good in me/And anything that’s true/It’s all because of You.” The album ends with a tender ballad, ‘Good Morning Lord’, that lays out how we should start off each day as Christ followers: “Good morning Lord/Thank You for this day/Help me to walk with You/In this world You made/Good morning Lord/I feel Your mercies new/Take my hand and lead me Lord/I long to follow You.”

Clay Crosse is now worship pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Arlington, TN. He and Renee are also involved in marriage and family ministry via Holy Homes. Of his latest CD, Clay says: “God really blessed me to be able to record this new project and I pray it encourages you.” Instrumentalists used include: Steve Brewster (drums), Mark Hill (bass), Dave Cleveland (guitars), Jason Webb (keyboards), Dave Davidson and Chuck Butler (strings), Mike Haynes (trumpet), and Mark Douthit (sax).

reDedication finds Clay spot on vocally. His voice has a maturity that can’t be imitated. The songs are ones of well thought out and heartfelt ministry. After all these years, Clay is still putting out top quality inspirational music. We are the better for it! Fans of Michael English, Sandi Patty, and Steve Green will like this one. I’m rating reDedication 87%. For more info visit www.claycrosse.com and www.holyhomes.org.

STRYPER LIVE IN INDONESIA

In his Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (2002, Hendrickson Publishers) Mark Allan Powell writes the following of the early days of Stryper: “They presented themselves in ways that practically begged treatment as a novelty act: heavy makeup, big hair, black and yellow spandex…and silly publicity stunts. They were, of course a Christian version of KISS-and the very idea of such an incarnation struck secular journalists as humorous and worthy of media coverage. There was a lot of mean-spirited criticism (mostly from the Christian side), but Stryper rolled with the punches and, by and large had fun with it.” Stryper is Michael Sweet (lead vocals/lead guitar), Robert Sweet (drums), Oz Fox (guitar/vocals), and Timothy Gaines (bass/vocals). Their latest DVD is LIVE IN INDONESIA AT THE JAVA ROCKIN’ LAND (2012, MVDvisual). Of it, Michael says: “This show was an unexpected, but welcomed, addition to our tour schedule. It was added last minute and we scrambled to make it happen, but I’m glad it worked out. It was an opportunity to go to a primarily Muslim country and share our faith.”


The concert begins with one of seven songs from 1986. ‘Sing-Along Song’ is a happy song of gratitude: “In a land of freedom/God has sent His grace/We’re proud to live in such a place/With the right to sing/Song after song/This song’s for you to sing along!” ‘Murder by Pride’ is a modern rock gem from 2009. It speaks of improving one’s spiritual state: “Seeds that were growing have been dried up by my flesh/I walk the walk and talk the talk but where’s the rest?/I could have everything even what’s behind the stars/But I built my prison without windows, without bars/Gotta fight, gotta stop living a lie/Gotta fall, gotta lay down and die/Gotta stand and run to the other side/Gotta live or it’s murder by pride.”

‘Loud ‘N’ Clear’ goes all the way back to 1984’s THE YELLOW AND BLACK ATTACK. In the lyrics, Stryper takes on their critics: “The hair is long and the screams are loud and clear/The clothes are tight, earrings dangling from the ears/No matter how we look, we’ll always praise His Name/And if you believe, you’ve got to do the same.” ‘The Rock that Makes Me Roll’ from 1985 shares the band’s motivation for what they do: “They say that rock and roll is strong/Check out the Rock that makes us roll/Don’t need no drugs to help us push on/We’ve got His power in our souls/Stand up and fight for what you believe in.”

‘Reach Out’ is a song that gives testimony: “I was looking for the answer all the time/Always looking, never finding/I was empty inside/Drowning in the darkness/Needing the light to see/Reaching out for shelter/Then He set me free.” ‘Calling on You’ is one of my faves. It could be addressed to God or a romantic partner: “I can’t explain just what you do to me/My love grows stronger every day/You give me love, you give me company/And when I have to face this rain/You bring sunshine into my life.”

‘Free’ reflects on one of the greatest gifts God has given us: “Free to turn away, say goodbye/Free to walk away and deny/The gift waiting for you/Whispers the still small voice/It’s your choice/You’re free, free to do what you want to/Choose your own destiny/Free to do what you want to.” ‘More than a Man’ finds the band determined: “God, I will follow You because You died for me/Gave to me Your life to set me free/Anyone who asks shall receive/Jesus in your heart/It’s time for you to start/Giving God all the glory/More than a man, God Almighty/He created you.”

‘Honestly’ is the first ballad and brought a tear to my eye. It is another song that could have spiritual meaning or be directed to a human love partner: “Call on me and I’ll be there for you/I’m a friend who always will be true/And I love you can’t you see/That I love you honestly?/I will never betray your trust in me/And I love you, can’t you see?” ‘Open Your Eyes’ is the headbanging opener from 2005’s REBORN. The song encourages listeners to reach their full spiritual potential: “Open your eyes/Loosen the vice that constrains you/Open your eyes/Break the unfaith that controls you/Open your eyes/The truth will be there.”

‘All for One’ comes from the group’s controversial 1990 album AGAINST THE LAW. The song is a melodic call for unity however: “Days are going by/It’s up to you to make a start/Before this Earth of ours/Turns to dust and falls apart/Right now I know we can make a change/All for one and one for all/Isn’t that the way that it should be?/Will we ever save this world?/United we will stand up tall/United we will never fall/If it’s all for one and one for all/I know that we can save this world.” ‘The Way’ is another testimony song: “I feel His strength come into me/Yes, I do/ Reading His Word helps me to see/I feel so new I want to sing/Feeling His joy in everything/Oh, what can I say?/Oh, Christ is the Way.”

Two strong encores follow. ‘Abyss/To Hell with the Devil’ directly puts our adversary in his place: “Well, speak of the devil/He’s no friend of mine/To turn from him/Is what we’ve got in mind/Just a liar and a thief/The Word tells us so/We’d like to let him know where he can go/To hell with the devil (2X).” This song, another one of my faves, ends with a good scream by Michael. The concert closes with 1985’s ‘Soldiers Under Command’. It rallies believers in one higher cause: “Are you a soldier under God’s command?/Help fight the good fight, join us while you can/The battle that’s waiting is fought so easily/Through Him, without sin, there is victory /And we’re fighting all the sin/And the good book, it says we’ll win/Soldiers, Soldiers under command/Soldiers, Soldiers, fighting the Lord’s battle plan.”

This concert was filmed in 2010. The guys are definitely looking older, as they should be. Michael Sweet makes mention of the fact that the days of tight spandex and loads of make-up are gone. Of this, he tells the crowd: “Thank God!” As with other aging Christian rock stars, like John Schlitt, Sweet now sings some of the classics in a lower key, but they are still quite well done. The picture quality of the DVD is quite clear, as is the sound. And of course the group still plays yellow and black instruments. There is good crowd interaction throughout the show. The musicianship and harmonies are still there. Several of these songs have been a part of the soundtrack of my faith journey over the years. Fans of Bloodgood and Whitecross should pick this one up. I’m rating LIVE IN INDONESIA AT THE JAVA ROCKIN’ LAND 93%. For more info visit www.stryper.com and www.mvdb2b.com.

JULIE'S WILD ROSE

Julie Elias studied musical theatre in college. She has appeared on several TV shows including Grey’s Anatomy, CSI: New York, and Weeds. She was also an extra in Larry Crowne which starred Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. She is quoted as saying: “I am grateful for my time in Hollywood; my experiences ultimately strengthened my relationship with Christ and played an integral part in the journey to realize my calling.” Her bio says: “A Christmas trip to her hometown in 2010 caused Elias to reexamine her career options. During the holiday, she performed in her home church’s praise and worship band and sang in some local concerts.” She felt led to pursue music. Her latest release is A WILD ROSE (2012). In the liner notes she calls this album “an exploration of my own heart and my faith.” She adds: “God has always been and will always be there for us. Sometimes, it takes a long time to truly remind myself of this but I have never regretted those moments when I give Him whatever is weighing me down and I feel a sense of hope that five minutes earlier felt like a pipe dream.” All of the songs on the album were penned by Al Denson, Julie, and Robert White Johnson. Denson is a CCM success who has performed at Billy and Franklin Graham crusades, while Johnson has songwriting and production credits with the likes of Celine Dion and Michael Bolton.


‘Breathing Room’ is a great opening song that finds Julie crying out for personal rejuvenation: “Wanna feel the earth beneath my feet/Feel Your rain, wash my spirit clean/Let the sun shine upon my weathered face/Dust from the past makes it hard to breathe/Wipe my eyes/Lord teach me how to see/Renew my heart so I can learn to love again.” ‘A Wild Rose’ makes good use of keys, and is a song of encouragement for those who are down: “While you lie sleeping alone in the night beneath the wind-driven snow/Hope springs eternal, the birth of new life, the bloom, a wild rose/Seasons bring changes, the day loses light, and darkness it comes and it goes/Splendid and perfect, eternally bright/God planted each wild rose.”

‘In His Plan’ is upbeat musically and reflects on the tension between self-reliance and God-reliance: “Sometimes I still think I know best/That I can face this world alone/So much was wrong, I should have known/Now I feel like my goals are out of reach and my plans all fell apart/Dreams extracted from my heart/What if these dreams were blinding me to all that God has planned for me?” ‘I am Yours’ is a reverent ballad with nice strings and orchestration by Jimmy Nichols. The song clearly finds Julie relying on God: “A gentle peace surrounds me/The stillness calms my soul/Surrendering all my fears/I give You control/Whispering a new song written on my wounded heart/Your faithfulness has given me life.”

‘Lord You Reign’ is a song suitable for congregational worship: “We lift our hands and sing to You/For You are great, amazing/Lord You reign on high, victorious/Now and forever, Blessed Redeemer/Lord You reign.” ‘Breathe in Me’ is a soft song that begins with these words of vulnerability: “Here I am again/Trapped inside myself with my impatient heart/Praying for a sign/Waiting is the hardest part/So many times I don’t understand why it takes so long/Till I give it all over to You.”

‘Here I Am’ features great electric guitar work by Dave Cleveland and has a rock feel to it. It contains these wonderful words of submission: “Not running away anymore/Not turning my back on You, Lord/See I finally heard You knock on the door/Now my heart is open/Here I am.” ‘Peace I Leave with You’ is very mellow and speaks of the pain of losing a loved one or a close friend: “Took your love forgranted/The hopes and dreams you planted/I always thought you’d be here/A voice to calm all my fears/Now echoes in my mind/Words I won’t hear/Or feel again.”

‘Be Thou my Vision’ is well executed and should please fans of sacred music. It is a traditional Irish hymn (translation by Eleanor Hull 1912). The rendition here, combines the hymn’s traditional words with a new chorus by Al Denson, Julie, and Robert White Johnson: “Thou and Thou only/First in my heart/High King of Heaven/My Treasure Thou art” and “Be still and know/For I am God/Wherever you go/My peace you will know.” ‘Freedom in Love’ is a six minute triumphant sounding rocker that ends the album on a positive note lyrically: “Walking in faith, now I am strong/Awaken the fire inside my heart/To the reflection of Your truth/Give it all up/No turning back/Here I am rescued by grace/When a Voice inside said I’m not alone.”

Julie Elias has performed at major festivals such as Spirit West Coast, Ichthus, and Cornerstone, and at Walt Disney World’s Night of Joy. She shares: “I’ve always believed you can hear words, but you can feel music. What is a relationship with God without feeling His presence through your entire being? Sometimes songs can touch you in a way that words cannot.” A WILD ROSE reveals an artist who fluctuates between Kari Jobe type pop/worship music and Alannah Myles chick rock with a bit of an edge. Julie performs both styles equally well. Her vocals are clear and crisp. I would like her to put out a straight up Gospel rock record in the future. On A WILD ROSE, Jason Webb plays piano, keys, and accordion. Veteran CCM artist Lisa Bevill is one of the background vocalists. The photos of Julie included with this project are quite pretty. If you’re looking for an album to lift your spirits, this one’s for you. I’m rating it 84%. For more info visit www.julieeliasmusic.com.

SMALLTOWN POETS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

Smalltown Poets is a Christian rock band formed in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia. Their first album SMALLTOWN POETS (1997) won a Dove Award for Best Rock Album and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Gospel Rock Album. It contained such great songs as ‘Prophet, Priest, and King’, ‘If You’ll Let me Love You’, ‘Everything I Hate’, and ‘Monkey’s Paw’. The Poets went on hiatus after 2004’s IT’S LATER THAN IT’S EVER BEEN. In 2010 they regrouped to begin work on a Christmas CD. They released a Christmas single ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ in December 2010. Of their fifth studio album CHRISTMAS (2011, Friendly City Records) their website says: “Smalltown Poets is back from a seven-year hiatus with an album that feels like a perfect Christmas gift from a longtime friend you didn’t expect to see.” The album was co-produced by their former drummer Matt Goldman (Underoath and Casting Crowns).


‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’ uses bells and keyboards to good effect. It integrates words from another hymn that express a desire for the Christ to draw near: “Come Thou long expected Jesus/Born to set Thy people free/From our fears and sins release us/Let us find our rest in Thee/Emmanuel.” ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ by Christina Rossetti and Gustav T. Holtz is given a nice pop treatment. It reflects on how to properly respond to the nativity: “What shall I give Him/Poor as I am?/If I were a shepherd/I would bring a lamb/If I were a wise man/I would do my part/Yet, what can I give Him/I’ll give Him my heart.”

‘In the first Light’ written by Bob Kauflin in 1988 has great backing vocals. It looks ahead to the cruel death Christ would ultimately die: “As His mother held Him closely/It was hard to understand/That this baby not yet speaking/Was the Word of God to man/He would tell them of His kingdom/But their hearts would not believe/They would hate Him/And in anger they would nail Him to a tree.” Rebecca Lovell of Larkin Poe contributes sweet vocals to ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’. The song makes it clear that God wants to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us: “How silently, how silently/The wondrous gift is given/So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven/No ear may hear His coming/But in this world of sin/Where meek souls will receive Him still/The dear Christ enters in/O little town/Proclaim His birth/And praises sing to God our King/Cry peace to all the earth.”

‘St. Nick is Alright’ by Michael Johnston, Noah Stephens, and Danny Stephens, is fun, bouncy, and catchy: “Free my heart/For the sake of childhood wishes/With grateful thoughts/For the life of Father Christmas/His greatest gift is his belief/In the miracle and the mystery/To life (2X)/St. Nick is alright/He’s alright with me.” ‘Silent Night’ is a short, atmospheric instrumental.

‘Good Christian Men Rejoice’ is upbeat musically and reflects on the historical event that gives us a reason to celebrate during the festive season: “Good Christian men rejoice/With heart and soul and voice/Give ye heed to what we say/Jesus Christ is born today/Ox and lamb before Him bow/And He is in the manger now/Christ is born today (2X).” ‘Hark The Herald Angels Sing’ by Charles Wesley and Felix Mendelssohn waxes theological: “Christ by highest heaven adored/Christ the Everlasting Lord/Late in time behold Him come/Offspring of the Virgin’s womb/Veiled in flesh the Godhead see/Hail the incarnate Deity/Pleased as man with man to dwell/Jesus our Emmanuel/Hark the Herald Angels Sing/Glory to the newborn King.”

Next up, is a short musical interlude, ‘We Three Kings’, that is made to sound like it’s coming from an LP. ‘On Christmas Day (Ave Maria)’ by Poet Danny Stephens features Eric Sturniolo of the Georgia Boy Choir. The song contains these beautiful words: “Not a sweeter voice could ever my heart sway/Than the Savior’s call/This Christmas day/He is risen in me/This Christmas day/And His mercy stalls a glorious return/But I should urge this world/To despise delay/And to give up, give up all themselves/This Christmas day.”

‘Angels We Have Heard on High’ is a mysterious and glorious instrumental for the most part. ‘The First Noel’ has a cool percussive beat. Oh, to have been there the night Christ was born: “The first Noel, the angel did say/Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay/In fields where they lay keeping their sheep/On a cold winter’s night that was so deep/Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel/Born is the King of Israel.”

‘His Delight’ by Poets Michael Johnston and Danny Stephens, speaks of giving oneself completely to Christ who came to earth for us: “And as this heart peeks in/On that moment sublime/I find it all my joy/To offer heart, soul, and mind/To the perfect Son of love divine/And oh, His delight (2X).” The song is a relatively short, but great, original. ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ is a song of good cheer that makes use of a kid’s choir.

Over the years, Smalltown Poets have been compared to groups such as Jars of Clay, Matchbox Twenty, and The Waiting. What I can tell you is that this Christmas album is easily one of the best I have heard in recent years. The Poets offer up gorgeous, contemporary arrangements of holiday favourites and throw in a few originals to boot. Banjo, cello, classical guitar and strings help make this a memorable album, as do the smooth, easy to listen to vocals. If the Christmas carols have become stale to you, this record will bring them back to life for you and closer to your heart again. The album artwork which includes a sled, a hot beverage, a mitten, and a bird, is simple but appealing. I’m rating CHRISTMAS 95%. To purchase this product or the band’s new EP, visit www.smalltownpoets.tv.

LEONARD'S OLD IDEAS

Leonard Norman Cohen was born on September 21, 1934. He is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet, and novelist. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality, and interpersonal relationships. He is an inductee of the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has also received the Order of Canada. His first studio album was 1967’s SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN. I know him best for ‘Hallelujah’ which was first recorded on 1984’s VARIOUS POSITIONS. He is also known for such songs as ‘Suzanne’, ‘First We take Manhattan’, ‘Bird on a Wire’, and ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’. My cousin Trish is a huge fan of Leonard and shares: “I experience his music as a writer, artist, and mostly as a fellow spiritual being. Leonard Cohen writes with a precision that few writers are capable of, and a raw vulnerable humanity that we all share. One of the greatest joys of listening to Leonard’s music is his witty, self-effacing sense of humour that we can all relate to.” Leonard was ordained a Buddhist monk in 1996, but is still religiously Jewish. OLD IDEAS (2012, Columbia Records) is his twelfth studio album. It is the highest charting album of his ever, hitting Number One in Canada, Norway, Spain, and many other countries. It also did well in the U.S. In addition, it was a nominee for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize.


‘Going Home’ is one of four songs co-written with Patrick Leonard. It is a spoken word piece with slight keyboard accompaniment and female choral vocals. It seems written from the viewpoint of a Higher Power: “I love to speak with Leonard/He’s a sportsman and a shepherd/He’s a lazy bastard/Living in a suit/But he does say what I tell him/Even though it isn’t welcome.” The song moves on with that Higher Power reflecting on what Cohen’s true desire is: “He wants to write a love song/An anthem of forgiving/A manual for living with defeat/A cry above the suffering/A sacrifice recovering/But that isn’t what I need him to complete.” ‘Amen’ is a pretty song that runs over seven minutes and utilizes banjo, violin, guitar, and a horn. It has Cohen speaking to God: “Tell me again/When the victims are singing/And the Laws of Remorse are restored/Tell me again/That You know what I’m thinking/But vengeance belongs to the Lord/Tell me again.” In the song, the singer admits there is a tendency to use alcohol to mask pain and sorrow: “Tell me again/When the filth of the butcher/Is washed in the blood of the Lamb…Tell me again when I’m clean and I’m sober.”

‘Show me the Place’ has Cohen half-talking and half-singing, not unusual for him. The song contains these words that will resonate with evangelicals: “Show me the place/Help me roll away the stone/Show me the place/I can’t move this alone/Show me the place/Where the Word became a man/Show me the place/Where the suffering began.” Leonard’s live band joins him on ‘Darkness’. This mid-tempo number has cool organ flourishes throughout. The lyrics seem to speak of a man falling for a woman who turned out to be no good for him: “I should have seen it coming/It was right behind your eyes/You were young and it was summer/I just had to take a dive/Winning you was easy/But darkness was the prize…I used to love the rainbow/I used to love the view/I loved the early morning/I’d pretend that it was new/But I caught the darkness baby/And I got it worse than you/I caught the darkness.”

A shaker is used consistently on the soft track ‘Anyhow’. It tells of a man desperately wanting to reconcile with his true love interest: “I used up all my chances/And you’ll never take me back/But there ain’t no harm in asking/Could you cut me one more slack?/I’m naked and I’m filthy/And there’s sweat upon my brow/And both of us are guilty/Anyhow/Have mercy on me baby/After all, I did confess/Even though you have to hate me/Could you hate me less?” ‘Crazy to Love You’, co-written with Anjani Thomas, features nice guitar strumming. It speaks of how we sometimes go too far to try and make a love relationship work: “Had to go crazy to love you/Had to let everything fall/Had to be people I hated/Had to be no one at all.”

‘Come Healing’ starts with a soothing female vocal. It is a gem, that could almost be a modern day worship song lyrically: “The splinters that you carry/The cross you left behind/Come healing of the body/Come healing of the mind/And let the heavens hear it/The penitential hymn/Come healing of the spirit/Come healing of the limb.” ‘Banjo’ is a curious story song: “There’s something that I’m watching/Means a lot to me/It’s a broken banjo bobbing/On the dark, infested sea/Don’t know how it got there/Maybe taken by the wave/Off of someone’s shoulder/Or out of someone’s grave.”

‘Lullaby’ is another slow song and uses harmonica. It is more mysterious than the typical song you’d sing your child to sleep with: “If your heart is torn/I don’t wonder why/If the night is long/Here’s my lullaby(2X)/Well the mouse ate the crumb/Then the cat ate the crust/Now they’ve fallen in love/They’re talking in tongues.” ‘Different Sides’ has a playful sound to it. The song speaks of our unfortunate tendency to let things divide us as people: “We find ourselves on different sides/Of a line nobody drew/Though it all may be one in the higher eye/Down here where we live it is two…Both of us say there are laws to obey/Yeah, but frankly I don’t like your tone/You want to change the way I make love/I want to leave it alone.”

Publications such as Rolling Stone and The Guardian have praised OLD IDEAS. I believe this album will appeal to fans of the latter works of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. Those who appreciate the deep baritone vocals of George Beverly Shea will like Leonard’s voice. Cohen’s vocals are balanced with the sweet female vocals of Shannon Robinson, Dana Glover, Jennifer Warnes, and the Webb Sisters. This project is for the music lover who highly values poetry and artistry. It glows with a certain maturity that only true life experience can bring. The instrumentation is appropriately sparse and is well placed. These are not, for the most part, songs that you can sing along with, but they are songs that will appeal to your thoughts and emotions. I imagine Leonard whispering several of these songs in the listener’s ear. I’m rating OLD IDEAS 85%. For more info visit www.leonardcohen.com.

NEIL YOUNG'S AMERICA

Neil Percival Young was born on November 12, 1945 in Toronto, Ontario. He had diabetes as a child and a bout with polio in 1951. Neil began as a solo artist and was a member of Buffalo Springfield (1966-68) who played folk, country, psychedelia, and rock music. His first solo album, self-titled, dropped in 1968. In 1969 he released EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS IS NOWHERE with Crazy Horse. It featured ‘Cinnamon Girl’. He was also a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, as of the same year. His fourth album HARVEST (1972) was a big success with songs such as ‘Heart of Gold’, ‘Old Man’, and ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’. One of my favourite Young songs is 1989’s ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’. In 2006 he released LIVING WITH WAR. Here he showed himself as an activist, clearly against George W. Bush. He is also an environmentalist. Neil Young released AMERICANA, his first work with Crazy Horse in eight years on June 5, 2012 (Reprise). Crazy Horse is Neil Young (vocals, guitar), Billy Talbot (bass, vocals), Ralph Molina (drums), and Frank ‘Poncho’ Sampedro (guitar). Of this recording American Songwriter quotes Young as saying: “Every one of these songs…has verses that have been ignored. And those are the key verses, those are the things that make these songs live. They’re a little heavy for kindergarteners to be singing. The originals are much darker, there’s more protest in them…” In this review I won’t bore you with the history and background of each of the songs.


‘Oh Susannah’ begins with great electric guitar licks. It sounds like a mix between a kid’s sing-a-long song and a rock song. Here are some of the lyrics: “Rained all night the day I left/The weather it was dry/Sun so hot I froze to death/Susannah, don’t you cry/Oh, oh, oh Susannah, don’t you cry for me/Cause I come from Alabama with my B-A-N-J-O on my knee.” ‘Clementine’ begins with heavy rock guitar and features heavy percussion. It’s a tragic song: “Ruby lips above the water/Blowin’ bubbles soft and fine/But alas I was no swimmer/So I lost my Clementine/Clementine (2X)/Oh my darlin’ Clementine…How I missed her (2X)/How I missed my Clementine/So I kissed her little sister and I forgot my Clementine.” ‘Tom Dula’ is the longest track, clocking in at over eight minutes long. Tom Dula’s name is chanted throughout this story song which includes these encouraging words: “Hang down your head Tom Dula/Hang down your head and cry/Hang down your head Tom Dula/Poor boy you’re bound to die/I met her on the mountain/And there I took her life/Met her on the mountain/Stopped her with my knife.”

‘Gallows Pole’ is a bluesy romp with good choral vocals. It is the song of a man condemned to death, whose parents can’t save him, but his lover does: “Honey did you bring me silver?/Honey did you bring me gold?/Did you come to see me hangin’ by the gallows pole?/Brought you a little silver, I brought you a little gold/Didn’t come to see you hangin’ by that gallows pole.” ‘Get a Job’ has a doo-wop feel complete with ‘Sha-na-na-nah’ lyrics. It’s a tongue in cheek song about a nagging wife: “When I get the paper I read it through and through/And my girl never fails to say if there is any work for me/When I go back to the house I hear the woman’s mouth/Preachin’ and a cryin’, tell me that I’m lying about a job/That I never could find.” ‘Travel On’ is an upbeat country song that sounds a bit like ‘Do Lord’. It finds Young in love: “Wanna see my honey, Wanna see her bad, wanna see her bad/Yeah, wanna see her bad/I wanna see my honey, wanna see her bad/She’s the best girl this old boy ever had/I’ve laid around and played around this old town too long/Summer’s almost gone, yeah winter’s come and gone/Laid around and played around this old town too long/And I feel like I gotta travel on.”

‘High Flyin’ Bird’ has a classic rock sound. It is either morbid or full of hope depending on your interpretation: “Well, I once knew a man/He worked in a mine/Well, he never saw the sun/But then he never stopped tryin’/And then one day that old man he upped and he died/Yeah, he up and he died (2X)/Well he wanted to fly and the only way to fly was to die/Lord, I’m goin’ to die (2X).” Next up, is a rocked up version of a song I would sing to my kids while pushing them on the swings at the park. ‘Jesus’ Chariot (She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain)’ is heavily electric guitar driven and uses gang vocals in a nice fashion. Included here is a gruesome verse: “We’ll kill the big red rooster when she comes/We’re gonna kill the big red rooster when she comes/We’ll kill the big red rooster, we’ll kill the big red rooster, kill the big red rooster/When she comes.” Woody Guthrie wrote the lyrics to ‘This Land is Your Land’ back in 1940. Here, it has a happy old country/folk sing-a-long feel to it: “As I went walkin’/I saw a sign there/And on the sign it said ‘No trespassin’/But on the other side, it didn’t say nothin’/That side was made for you and me.” Pegi Young, Stephen Stills, and an Americana Choir help out on vocals on this one.

‘Wayfarin’ Stranger’ is mellow and is about a man with singleness of mind on a spiritual journey: “I am a poor wayfarin’ stranger/While travelin’ through this world of woe/Yet there’s no sickness, toil, or danger/In that bright world to which I go/I’m goin’ there to see my Father/I’m goin’ there no more to roam/I’m only goin’ over Jordan/I’m only goin’ over Home.” ‘God Save the Queen’ is covered in a manner suitable for a Broadway musical. On it, Neil strikes another spiritual chord: “O Lord and God arise/Scatter the evil lies/And make them fall/Confound their politics, frustrate their empty tricks/On Thee our hopes we fix/God save the Queen.” The song and the album end with the words “Let Freedom Ring”. This seems appropriate.

AMERICANA is for fans of traditional American historical songs. Long-time fans of Neil Young and his experimentation with various musical styles, but leaning towards rock, should enjoy this one. Those who appreciate the seasoned, mature artistry of folks like Larry Norman, Willie Nelson, and Randy Stonehill will appreciate AMERICANA. This is a unique album that covers a lot of ground in a way that will hold your attention and overall make you appreciate music more. This album is, in reality, timeless. I’m rating it 87%. For more info visit www.neilyoung.com.

CAMPING OUT FOR CHRISTMAS

Jeremy Camp was born on January 12, 1978 in Lafayette, Indiana. His first wife Melissa died of ovarian cancer in 2001 just months after they were married. In December 2003 he married Adrienne Liesching who was the frontwoman for The Benjamin Gate. The couple has three children. Over the years Jeremy’s hits have included ‘I Still Believe’, ‘This Man’, ‘There Will Be A Day’, and ‘Jesus Saves.’ This March he released a greatest hits album which included 15 Number Ones. His latest project is CHRISTMAS: GOD WITH US (2012, BEC Recordings). Of it, he says: “I wanted to pick songs that I listened to growing up, and make them my own. I also selected Christmas carols that I thought would be a good fit and everyone could enjoy this season and for years to come!”


First up is a playful, upbeat version of ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ that makes good use of church bells. The song was first released by Bobby Helms in 1957. Witness these lyrics: “What a bright time, it’s the right time/To rock the night away/Jingle bell time is a swell time/To go gliding in a one-horse sleigh/Oh, giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet/Jingle around the clock/Mix and mingle in the jingling feet/That’s the jingle bell (2X)/That’s the jingle bell rock.” ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ has a rock feel to it here. The song first appeared in 1739 in the collection ‘Hymns and Sacred Poems’ and was written by Charles Wesley. It declares the Good News: “Joyful, all ye nations rise/Join the triumph of the skies/With angelic hosts proclaim/Christ is born in Bethlehem.” Later, it continues: “Mild He lays His glory by/Born that man no more may die/Born to raise the sons of earth/Born to give them second birth.”

‘Joy to the World’ is, well, appropriately joyful. Jeremy adds some Scripturally based words: “Hallelujah (3X)/Christ is born/Hallelujah (3X)/Christ is born/For unto us a child is born/Unto us a Son is given/And He will be called/Wonderful Counselor/The Mighty God/The everlasting Father/The Prince of Peace, yeah/And the weight of the world is on His shoulders/And His kingdom will never end.” ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ has a bit of a thump to it, accented by jingle bells chiming. The original words are by Phillips Brooks (1835-1893), an Episcopal priest. His organist Lewis Redner added the music. Jeremy Camp shares: “This song is such a great description of the gift God gave us through the birth of Jesus Christ.” Here are some of the well-known lyrics: “O holy Child of Bethlehem/Descend to us we pray/Cast down our sin and enter in, be born in us today/We hear the Christmas angels/The great glad tidings tell/O come to us, abide with us/Our Lord, Emmanuel.”

‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ is perhaps a little too subdued musically. It contains these words of well-wishes that unfortunately don’t always come true for those who are grieving during the holiday season: “Have yourself a merry little Christmas/Let your heart be light/From now on/Our troubles will be out of sight/Have yourself a merry little Christmas/Make the Yule-tide gay/From now on/Our troubles will be miles away.” Next up is a happy, danceable version of ‘Let it Snow’. It includes these romantic words: “When we finally kiss goodnight/How I’ll hate going out in the storm!/But if you’ll really hold me tight/All the way home I’ll be warm/Oh, the fire is slowly dying,/And my dear, we’re still good-bying/As long as you love me so/Let it snow! (3X)

A terrific cover of ‘Mary Did You Know’ follows. It was penned by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene. Lowry wrote the words in 1984 when a pastor asked him to write the program for a living Christmas tree presentation. The song begins with these deeply thought provoking questions: “Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?/Mary, did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?/Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?/This child that you deliver will soon deliver you.” The title track ‘God With Us’ was penned by the album’s three producers, they being, Jeremy Camp, Brown Bannister, and Ben Shive. Of the song, Jeremy says: “It was amazing to think that our King actually came down to this earth and walked among us as human flesh. The lyrics came out as an expression of what I was thinking at that moment: Emmanuel, our humble King/We give You our hearts as an offering/You laid down Your crown and became as dust/Emmanuel, God with us.” The song is a pretty ballad that makes good use of strings.

‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’ includes these words of tremendous hope: “Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel/Shall come to thee, O Israel.” The album ends with a clever arrangement of ‘Away in a Manger’. This children’s fave reminds us we can have a deeply personal relationship with Jesus: “I love Thee, Lord Jesus/Look down from the sky/And stay by my side/Til morning is nigh/Be near me Lord (5X)/Be near me Lord Jesus/I ask Thee to stay/Close by me forever/And love me I pray/Bless all the dear children/In Thy tender care/And take us to heaven/To live with You there/We’ll be with You Lord Jesus/We’ll be with You.”

CHRISTMAS: GOD WITH US has a beautiful, scenic front cover and comes with a couple nice pictures of Jeremy. The contemporary arrangements of the classics presented here, along with the slight lyrical additions here and there should please his fans. His voice is in fine form. I would have liked to see more than one original song however. I recommend this CD to fans of adult rock artists such as Creed, Chris Tomlin, Kutless, and Bruce Springsteen. I’m rating CHRISTMAS: GOD WITH US 84%. For more info visit: www.jeremycamp.com and www.becrecordings.com.

SO SHE CAN TELL

Cheri Keaggy began as a worship leader at a small church in Southern California. She was discovered by industry veteran Charlie Peacock. He has production credits on her wonderful first two albums CHILD OF THE FATHER (1994) and MY FAITH WILL STAY (1996). The former garnered Cheri a Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year. Her bio states: “Often with her Bible and journal close at hand, Cheri takes a teachable approach to life, looking for the lesson in every experience. ‘If God can use our challenges and heartaches to build character that makes us more effective for the Kingdom, then that’s what I want. He can use me however He sees fit.’” Cheri’s latest album SO I CAN TELL (2012) was largely influenced by the end of her nearly twenty-three year long marriage to her high school sweetheart. She shares: “I feel like God has given me some gold and now is the season of pouring out everything He’s poured into me.”


Cheri’s eighth release and first new CD in five years begins with an inspirational ballad that starts with these words that speak of sharing God’s goodness with others: “I was shown grace/So I will be gracious/I was shown mercy/So I will be merciful and kind/I have been loved/To be lovely, yes, but that I might love well/I have heard the Truth so I can tell.” It’s a great title track! Revelation 21:4 says: “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” ‘There Will Be One Day’ is a song that builds in momentum and makes good use of a Holy Ghost Choir. The song looks forward to a blissful eternity in heaven: “Oh, God of Love what love we’ve known/Mercy keeps falling from Your Throne/Still we are waiting for that trumpet blow/When You will come to call us home…/There will be peace just like a river/Joy like we’ve never known/We all will be delivered when we get Home.”

Of ‘When You Were Jesus to Me’, Cheri writes: “For Sara and Joan Del, two special women who prayed, mentored, and held me up.” It begins with these blatantly honest words of one in despair, ultimately divinely encouraged by a fellow pilgrim: “I made it to church/Though just barely there/When the music began it was all I could do/To sit slumped in my chair/How can I worship/In all of this grief?/You said ‘Friend, you don’t have to’/And then you said ‘it’s O. K. just to receive’/You led the way to belief/When you were Jesus to me.” Isaiah 43:19 reads: “Behold, I will do a new thing,/Now it shall spring forth;/Shall you not know it?/I will even make a road in the wilderness/And rivers in the desert.” ‘Starting a New Year Today’ was written on the one year anniversary of her divorce. It includes these refreshingly vulnerable lyrics: “Staring at a clean page/Putting thoughts down on paper the usual way/I may not know where this might lead/But Your Word is the lamplight in front of me/Here’s where I pray a lot/Thankful for all I’ve got/Doing the best that I can/I reach for Your Hand.”

‘Air, Food, and Water’ is an upbeat ukulele based number. Cheri writes: “Inspired by Pastor Michael Easley’s sermon on the three things we need to survive. Proof God CAN turn mourning into dancing.” These words find her victorious: “I’m praising God in the valley/And lighting candles at night/And if you ask me how I’m surviving/I have all that I need/He’s been so good to me/If you’re not sure you can trust Him girl/Then come talk to me.” ‘Hello, God’ is a nice song that has Cheri putting her total confidence in her heavenly Father: “For there’s nothing/Nothing You cannot do/There is no one/No one You can’t put together again/That’s just what You’ll do/And there’s nowhere/Nowhere You can’t get to/And there’s no one/No one You can’t pull through/If we’ll only let You.”

Philippians 1:21 says: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” In the poetic song ‘To Live is Christ’, Cheri petitions her Lord: “Lord, clean slate me, make me new/Wake me, shake me, even bait me/Consecrate me just for You/Know me, judge me, reign above me/Covenant Love me like You do.” In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” ‘Come to Me’ is a particularly strong song that finds God calling out to the heavy hearted: “If you’re scraping by, but just can’t get ahead/Always more month/At the end of the money/When you’re running out of options/Can’t see how, don’t know when it’ll end/Come to Me/When you’re weary and you’re burdened/Come to Me/When your future seems uncertain/Come to me/Before they pull the final curtain/Come to Me/And I will give you rest.”

‘Bind Me to You’ features these words where Cheri cries out to the Lord: “Loving and Faithful are You, my Lord/Covenant Keeper/Love’s True Reward/Knight in Shining Armor/Prince of Peace/Stay with me now, my Lord/Quiet me with Your Love/My True Companion to have and to hold/Will all Your warmth to me, conquer this cold/Stay with me now, my Lord (2X).” ‘Romans 15:13 (Benediction Song)’ follows. A benediction, according to Wikipedia, is “a short invocation for divine help, blessing, and guidance, usually at the end of a worship service.” The song here is very pretty and contains these words of encouragement: “May the God of hope/Fill you with all joy and peace/As you trust in Him/So that you may know and overflow/With hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” The album ends with ‘Postlude: Invitation to Hope.’ It is a beautiful instrumental continuation of the previous song, and features the talented acoustic guitar playing of Phil Keaggy.

In the liner notes Cheri writes: “This is more than just another album to me. It is a testimony of how God can bring beauty from ashes as we walk in Him.” Her bio calls her a modern day Psalmist and describes her music as accessible folk-pop. On this project Cheri has really reinvented herself as an artist. The album is full of emotion. You can hear country tones in her voice. People who enjoy Cindy Morgan’s HYMNS AND SPRITUALS and Clay Crosse’s EVERYTIME I FEEL THE SPIRIT will enjoy this effort. I’m rating SO I CAN TELL 86.5%. Fans of Patty Griffin, Dolly Parton and Laura Story should also check this one out. The producers are Scott Dente from Out of the Grey, and Ken Lewis. Cheri is also available to speak on topics such as ‘Overcoming the Pain of Divorce’, ‘Biblical Foundations for Worship’, and ‘Learning How to Forgive’. For more info visit www.cherikeaggy.com.