CD Reviews
CD Report: Season for Believing (John Darin Rowsey)
I rarely buy Christmas recordings anymore since everyone seems to record the same songs. Last year, John Darin Rowsey released a solo Christmas CD featuring twelve original songs, eleven of which were written or co-written by John.
Songs included are: Christmas Day, Season for Believing, Down in Bethlehem, Who Came When Jesus Came, If It’s Christmas (with the Guardians), Mary Had a Baby, Light in the Window, Welcome Little Baby, Christmas and Family, Joy Has Come to the World (with Nancy Banfield and Pam Hall – formerly known as New Journey), Emmanuel, and We Need a Little Love.
CD Report: Ever Faithful (Jim & Melissa Brady)
About a year ago, Jim & Melissa Brady released their first recording since becoming a duet, and it just might possibly be my favorite CD that Daywind released in 2021. Featuring all new songs co-written by Jim and/or Melissa, you will find this to be musically diverse. From progressive praise and worship to Great God of My Joy which has a black Gospel feel to it, everyone should find a song that they like.
Other songs include: To the King; Welcome; Jesus Stays; Good Things; He Will Carry You; Thunder, Ever Present, Ever Faithful; Covered; and When We All Get Home.
CD Report: Favorites (Bobby Bowen Family)
Bobby Bowen and his family recently recorded a CD of favorites. With 19 songs featured, including the powerful Land of the Free, this CD has a little of everything: old Mid South songs, praise and worship songs, and a couple I hadn’t heard before.
Other songs included are: I Won’t Be Frightened Anymore, Without You I Haven’t Got a Prayer, I Could Sing of Your Love Forever, Mighty to Save, Resting Place, Every River Has a Bridge, One Lost Sheep, Finally Home, He Paid it All, To Go to Heaven, Get on Board Little Children, Heart Collector, Home, How Great is Our God, Jesus Use Me, Little Man, Rise Again, and The Greatest Gift.
CD Report: The Music Goes On (The Talleys)
The final CD from The Talleys features eight songs that are typical of what you would expect on a Talleys recording. Songs of special mention are The Healer in the Grave (written by Lauren Talley, Kenna T. West, and Lee Black), Looks Like Jesus to Me (written by Aaron Wilburn), and the old Talleys classic written by Kirk Talley and sung by Lauren, Triumphantly the Church Will Rise.
Southern gospel lovers will enjoy the uptempo Never Been a Time.
Other songs include: This Day, He Has, Jesus Loves You, and My Heart Is There with You.
CD Report: High Road (High Road)
When you hear the term “bluegrass,” you may think of groups like The Lewis Family or, more recently, The Primitive Quartet. However, bluegrass comes in various forms and styles as it has more to do with instrumentation than vocals. I would liken High Road to an Allison Krauss-type bluegrass: smooth harmonies singing easy listening songs while throwing in an instrumental number as well.
Although this group was founded in 2013, I just became aware of them a few years ago. Produced by Ben Isaacs, they sing a variety of songs, some of which will be familiar, but you will also hear a couple of new songs written by the group’s founder, Sarah Davison. I encourage you to check them out if you are not already a fan.
Songs included are: Nothing at All; Faith, Hope & Love; High Road; It’s You; Snake River Reel; Second Chances; Faithful Again; Precious Lord, Take My Hand; Two Coats; and The Day I Got Saved.
CD Report: From the Heart (Billy Blackwood & Friends)
Back in 2019, Billy Blackwood released a CD that mostly features him, but he does have some guests that join him on some of the songs. Most of these are old songs from the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s as well as one from the ’90s (Is that old?!?!?!), but there are a couple post-2000 songs as well. Unfortunately, I have gotten behind on reviews so, although this is not a brand new CD, I figured it’s better to give it a late mention than none at all.
Songs included are: People Need the Lord, It Is No Secret, In the Garden (featuring Yvonne Lewis-Shelton), Without Him, Willing Heart (featuring Kelly Willard), I’d Rather Have Jesus, A Strange Way to Save the World (featuring Dave Clark), Your Grace Still Amazes Me, Love Held Jesus to the Cross (featuring Gene McDonald), If People, and You’re in God’s Hands.
CD Report: Change Is Coming (Joseph Habedank)
Joseph Habedank just released another CD where he has once again co-written every song.
People will relate to Religion Isn’t Working. We don’t need “religion”; we need a relationship with Jesus Christ. “I wanna know my blessed Savior, and I wanna love Him like I never loved Him before.” Amen!
24 Hours is a song of hope for those who have someone they’ve prayed for forever and are still waiting to see a breakthrough. Sometimes these seem like nice ideas, but the fact is that God does still answer prayer. We must keep petitioning until we get our answer.
My favorite song on this project after first listen is Not Far From Home. The truth of this song becomes more real every day. We are not far from Home.
Other songs included are Thief in the Night, Change Is Coming, Jericho, Child of the King, Judas, Rebel With a Cause, and Rise Above Eden
CD Report: Make It Count (The Sound)
I really like the latest CD from The Sound. It’s progressive, but it’s a progressive sound that I don’t mind. A couple of older songs join mostly new songs to produce a CD that’s nice to listen to while working around the house. Well, that’s when I listen to music anyway, and this is upbeat enough to serve that purpose well.
As I write this, I’m listening to the song I Am Becoming. What a blessing to know that I’m not what I was but I’m not what I’ll be. I am becoming who God desires me to be!
Songs on this project include: City of Joy, It Was Grace, First Church of Mercy, Make It Count, Can I Get a Witness, On the Road to Emmaus, I Am Becoming, Great God Almighty, Something ‘Bout Love, and Rain.
CD Report: Glorious God (Lauren Talley)
Back in 2019, Lauren Talley released a couple of worship CDs. I reviewed the other one shortly after they came out, but this one is worth mentioning too.
I am not a fan of the praise and worship genre, but there are good songs within the genre, and Lauren has chosen some good ones. Some will be familiar to you and some may not, but they will all bring you into the presence of Jesus.
Songs included are: Glorious God, What a Beautiful Name, Mercy Tree, The Heavens Are Telling, Let the Glory Come Down, Jesus at the Center, Jesus Only Jesus, and A Wretch Like Me (which Lauren wrote).
CD Report: Who We Are (3 Heath Brothers)
I first heard this group by watching the National Quartet Convention’s live stream. People talk about family harmony, and I admit that there is not much that I like better.
Dream Small reminds us that it’s not only the big things that matter. Every little thing that you do for Christ counts in eternity.
If you’ve forgotten who you are in Christ, you need to listen to This Is Who I Am.
They included an a capella version of the hymn It Is Well.
Smell of Smoke compares the trials we go through to the deliverance of the Hebrew boys who “didn’t even smell of smoke.”
“It’s not about thinking less of yourself, but thinking of your Self Less.”
I Believe You is a timely song. No matter what anyone else says, we can cling to the words of our Father since every word He’s spoken is true.
Moms will appreciate the Mother’s Day Song.
We Choose Life is the first strongly pro-life song I’ve heard since Gold City recorded “Only God Knows.”
Other songs include: Give It to Jesus, No Matter What, and Shake in His Shoes.
