CD Reviews
CD Review: Loudest Praise (Lauren Talley)
Lauren Talley recently released a CD containing six hymns. Loudest Praise contains the songs, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, When God Dips His Love in My Heart, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Does Jesus Care, and His Eye Is On the Sparrow. As a fan of Lauren Talley and a lover of hymns, this is a CD I will enjoy for a long time.
CD Review: Deeper Oceans (Joseph Habedank)
Singing News readers just voted Joseph Habedank favorite artist again for 2019. It won’t take long to figure out why when you listen to his latest CD. His song Shame On Me has already made it to the #2 spot on the Singing News Top 20, but there is not a so-so song on this recording. Every song was co-written by Joseph and reflects This Grace that he has obviously found.
The last song on the CD, One More Reason, was dedicated to his grandma. Having lost my grandma earlier this year, this song especially resonates with me, and I think it will with a lot of people.
The music on this CD is very progressive so will be liked by a broad audience of old and young, southern gospel and contemporary fans.
CD Review: Pure Love (Legacy Five)
Legacy Five has had some personnel changes lately but they still have the solid blend that we have come to expect from this amazing quartet. The group currently consists of Scott Fowler, Matt Fouch, Josh Townsend, Bryan Walker, and Lee Black. With that lineup and songs penned by such writers as Wayne Haun, Joel Lindsey, Sue C. Smith, Kenna Turner-West, Scott Inman, Lee Black, and Joseph Habedank, you know this has to be good.
Songs included are What a Day, What Kind of Man, That’s What Makes Believers Believe, Love Pure Love, I Believe the Book, The Greatest Wonder, Beggin’ for Change, Love Always Finds a Way, Middle Man, Not Just Another Day, and Only Passing Through.
I don’t know if it was intentional but I found it interesting that the music on Beggin’ for Change reminds me of “He Made a Change” that the Cathedrals recorded years ago.
CD Review: Noah Believed (Buddy Davis)
If you have never heard Buddy Davis, you are missing out. I think of his music as being for children, but I have enjoyed listening to this CD before I give it to my 9-year-old nephew who is a HUGE Buddy Davis fan.
This CD includes 12 songs written by Mr. Davis–all on the topic of Noah and the Ark. They are Biblical, some are witty, telling the story in music. The other day, my 3-year-old niece was a little grouchy so I brought her in with me and we sat and listened to this CD. Whenever a song would end, she would ask for another. If you have young children or grandchildren, or if you are just in a mood for something different, I highly recommend this.
Songs included are: The Lord Himself Will Shut the Door; The Global Flood Really Happened; Forty Days and Forty Nights; Animal Kinds; Inside the Ark, We’re Safe; Noah’s Ark Fever; The Earth Is Dry; My Raven Won’t Come Back; Floating Zoo; Noah Believed; The Wonder of a Rainbow; and Come to the Ark.
CD Review: Our Story (Three Bridges)
I’m old enough to remember when Three Bridges first hit the radio and, to be honest, I didn’t care for their sound. Today, the group consists of original member Elliott McCoy, as well as Shannon Smith and Jeremie Hudson, and I am starting to enjoy listening to them.
Although most of their songs are progressive or have more of a black gospel feel, Down the Road to Damascus is the kind of song you would expect to find on a traditional Southern Gospel CD.
I like the message of Like Jesus Did as it talks about the desire to be more like Christ.
Faith Shines Brighter tells the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Live the Gospel is another song with great lyrics.
Other songs include: Count It Victory, My Story, Good News Never Gets Old, God Did It, Nothing But, Gonna Keep Livin’ and The King of Love My Shepherd Is.
CD Review: A Million Miles (Sunday Drive)
If you are as old as I am, you may remember a group called Cedar Ridge. I loved their sound and have wondered at times what happened to them. Well, I recently found out that Jeff Treece now sings with Dusty Treece and Misty Treece in a group called Sunday Drive.
This CD starts out by asking, “Lord, am I Right Where You Want Me to Be?” This is a question we should each be asking ourselves.
I grew up listening to the music of Evie so I am happy to hear her popular song Born Again.
I’m Not Gonna Leave is a unique song that talks about never leaving the feet of Jesus.
I love the title song. No matter what you are going through, you can travel A Million Miles to reach the throne of God.
“I’m Living in the Middle of His Will, and life is better than it’s ever been.” True words. The Christian life isn’t trial-free, but if you are in the will of God, His grace will carry you through.
Other songs included are: What Can Change the World, He Set Me Free (not the old classic but a new song written by Misty Treece and Jeff Treece), Angels Sing My Victory Song, Just Before the Dawn, and It’s All About Me.
CD Review: Silhouette (The Wisecarvers)
I first heard The Wisecarvers on the National Quartet Convention’s live feed in 2017, and I was immediately impressed. I didn’t realize until I started this review that they also write their songs which is a bonus in my book. The only song they didn’t write on this recording is the hymn Amazing Grace.
Songs of special mention:
Best of Forever “I’ll be with You for the best of forever because you saved me from the worst of forever.” It’s not because of anything that I have done but because of His mercy, He saved me. I am so thankful!
When You Look at Me Am I the person God created me to be? Is He pleased with how I am living my life? Good questions to ask yourself.
You Have My Attention I love this song. It starts by painting a picture of someone who is desperate to hear from the Lord and ends with God stopping and paying attention to the soul who is fervently seeking Him.
Love You Still No matter what my future holds, God has been so good to me. He continues to be worthy of our love.
Someone Else’s Valley When things are going well, it can be easy to forget others who are hurting. This song encourages us to not forget someone else’s valley.
Potter’s Wheel is an encouraging song for those who are hurting. God will put the pieces back together. He loves you.
Other songs included are Begin With You, Jesus to Me, Silhouette, Go Down Again, and Manufactured Smiles.
CD Review: Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout (Various Artists)
If you like bluegrass gospel, you will like this new CD produced by Jerry Salley and featuring songs written or co-written by Rick Lang. Songs include are:
Thinkin’ Outside the Box by Dave Adkins
Heaven’s Back Yard by High Road
I See God by Marty Raybon
Don’t Tune Him Out by The Whites
The Back of the Church by Jerry Salley
Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout by Claire Lynch
Henry Clayton Parker by Bradley Walker
There Will Be Singing by The Cox Family
I’ve Read the Book by Marty Raybon
They Were Fishermen by Kenny and Amanda Smith
Sunday Morning Gospel Jubilee by Larry Cordle
There Is a Light by Dave Adkins
I like the songs sung by female singers or mixed groups. The others are just okay by my standards. This will be an occasional listen for me but there was enough merit to warrant a review.
CD Review: Somebody Go Get Jesus (The Troy Burns Family)
Although this CD has been out for a couple years, I decided to review it anyway because so far, this is my favorite CD that the Troy Burns Family has released.
Somebody Go Get Jesus tells the Bible stories of Jarius’ daughter and Lazarus and how Jesus’ appearing changed tragedies to rejoicing. Then it turns to America and how much we need Him before our country dies.
Roses in December talks about God’s encouragement in the midst of trials and then about the ultimate healing. I never cease to be amazed at how God knows what I need right when I need it. And yet I know that nothing here compares with what I will see when I get to Heaven.
I never get tired of hearing Troy Burns sing The Unseen Hand. It’s a great song anyway but Troy does a great job on the delivery.
Tammy Burns is featured on Somebody is Me. I have praised and shouted a lot while listening to this song. If anyone is going to praise the Lord, I pray somebody is me.
Tammy also sings from the heart on God’s Amazing Grace. “My tongue will tell the story forever and a day. Still I can’t do justice to God’s amazing grace.”
The CD ends with a Patriotic Medley of “America the Beautiful”; “God, Bless America”; “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”; and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Other songs included are: One Way, One Name, One Door; Gonna Move on Up the Mountain; Take a Stand; and That Is Where the Scars Are.
CD Review: Hope for All Nations (Karen Peck & New River)
This CD review is late because, although I wrote it a long time ago, I apparently never posted it. I feel bad about that but I decided better late than never since this was another great CD from Karen Peck and New River.
The first song you’ll hear is the catchy, encouraging, toe-tapping Love Will Never Give Up.
Next is the popular song Hope for All Nations.
My favorite song on this project is I Know I’ll Be There. I don’t know about you, but I long for that day.
Other songs include: Who He Is, What He Does; The Reason; Gotta Be Saved; I’ll Keep on Praying; The River; Victory is Mine; God’s Got a Blessing; All You Need; and I’m Gonna Love My Neighbor (with guest vocalists The Isaacs, Greater Vision, Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Bowling Family, Triumphant, and The Whisnants).
