SPOTLIGHT CD REVIEWS: CANA'S VOICE, JOSH FEEMSTER, LEGACY FIVE, AND CANTON JUNCTION
SOUTHERN GOSPEL SPOTLIGHT PRESENTS:
SPECIAL CD REVIEWS:
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING- CANA’S VOICE
LABEL: STOWTOWN RECORDS
THE DEBUT PROJECT FROM THIS NEW DYNAMIC TRIO WAS RELEASED THIS PAST MAY. THE GROUP IS COMPRISED OF AWARD WINNING SOLOIST TARANDA GREENE, FORMER AVALON MEMBER JODY MCBRAYER, AND ORIGINAL ERNIE HAASE & SIGNATURE SOUND MEMBER DOUG ANDERSON. PRODUCED BY WAYNE HAUN, THIS RECORDING FEATURES THIRTEEN INCREDIBLE SONGS INCLUDING: “HEAVENLY FATHER,” I WON’T GO BACK,” AND “ONE MOUANTIANS ALONE.” THERE WERE SEVERAL STANDOUT TRACKS ON THIS RECORD INLCUDING: THE COUNTRY STYLED “LOVE ANYWAY,” THE UPBEAT “THERE IS A MOUNTAIN,” THE MOVING “HIS HEART IS BIG ENOUGH,” AND THE POWERFUL ANTHEM “JESUS NEVER FAILS.” EACH VOCALIST SHINES ON THIS PROJECT! DOUG ANDERSON GIVES A STELLAR PERFORMANCE ON THE AFOREMENTIONED “LOVE ANYWAY,” WHICH REMINDS US TO LOVE EACH OTHER NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE. LOVE WITH EVERY BEAT OF YOUR HEART. LOVE DEEPER THAN YOUR SCARS. BE BOLD AND UNAFRAID. BE THE LOVE JESUS SHOWS US. WE MAY NOT DESERVE IT BUT WE ARE ALL WORTH IT! JODY MCBRAYER NAILS HIS SOLOS ON “HIS HEART IS BIG ENOUGH” AND “JESUS NEVER FAILS.” TARANDA BLEW ME AWAY WITH HER SOLO ON THE LATTER SONG AS WELL. OVERALL, THIS RECORD IS ONE OF THE BEST OF THE YEAR IN MY OPINION. A MUST BUY FOR ALL GOSPEL MUSIC FANS! 5 OUT 5 STARS!!!
HYMNS & CLASSICS- JOSH FEEMSTER
PRODUCER: GERALD WOLFE
JOSH FEEMSTER IS NO STRANGER TO SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC. HE IS KNOWN FOR SERVING AS LEAD SINGER OF MERCY’S MARK FROM 2004 TO 2007. FEEMSTER NOW SINGS TENOR FOR LEGACY FIVE REPLACING GUS GACHES. HIS CLEAR, RESONANT TENOR CAN BE HEARD NOT ONLY ON LEGACY FIVE’S LATEST RECORDING IN THE HANDS OF A CARPENTER, BUT ALSO ON HIS NEW SOLO CD, HYMNS & CLASSICS. THIS RECORD FEATURES BEAUTIFUL SIMPLE ARRANGEMENTS OF ELEVEN BELOVED HYMNS SUCH AS “ROOM AT THE CROSS FOR YOU,” THE LONGER I SERVE HIM,” AND MORE! THIS ALBUM IS SIMPLY REFRESHING AS IT ONLY FEATURES FEEMSTER’S VOICE AND GERALD WOLFE ON PIANO. FEEMSTER BLEW ME AWAY WITH HIS RENDITIONS OF “HOW GREAT THOU ART,” AND “BLESSED ASSURANCE.” BOTH SONGS FEATURE HIS UPPER RANGE AND IMPRESSIVE HIGH NOTES. OVERALL, THIS PROJECT IS DEFINITELY ONE TO CHECK OUT! 4 OUT 5 STARS! AVAILBLE NOW AT LEGACY FIVE CONCERTS!
MESSIAH- LEGACY FIVE
LABEL: DAYWIND RECORDS
ONE OF GOSPEL MUSIC’S MOST POPULAR QUARTETS, LEGACY FIVE, IS BACK AGAIN WITH A CHRISTMAS TREAT. A SIX SONG EP FEATURES GREAT SONGS TO GET YOU IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT! TREY IVEY KICKS OFF THE RECORD WITH A PIANO MEDLEY OF CLASSIC HOLIDAY SONGS THAT IS SIMPLY SUPERB. NEXT, EACH MEMBER IS FEATURED ON A ROUSING RENDITION OF “FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS GIVEN,” WHICH IS SURE TO BE A CONCERT FAVORITE. SCOTT HOWARD SHINES ON THE MID-TEMPO BALLAD “I CAN STILL CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS,” WHICH REMINDS US THE TRUE REASON FOR THE SEASON: CHRIST! WE CAN CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR LONG. SPREAD HIS LOVE WHEREVER YOU GO. TENOR JOSH FEEMSTER TAKES THE LEAD ON THE GROOVY “I PRAY ON CHRISTMAS,” WHICH IS A SIMPLE SONG ABOUT PRAYER. I PRAY THAT ALL PEOPLE WOULD KNOW CHRIST THIS CHRISTMAS! I PRAY THAT HE WILL SHOW US WHAT LOVE IS ALL ABOUT! “MARY’S WISH,” IS A TENDER BALLAD FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MARY AS SHE KNOWS HER BABY’S PURPOSE. SCOTT FOWLER GIVES AN INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE ON THIS BEAUTIFUL SONG. THIS SHORT EP CLOSES WITH AN EPIC ORCHESTRATED VERSION OF “HALLELJUAH CHORUS,” WHICH THE GROUP HAS BEEN PERFORMING AT CONCERTS ALREADY AND TO GREAT APPLAUSE. OVERALL, ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE ALBUM FROM THE QUARTET. 4.5 OUT 5 STARS
A CANTON CHRISTMAS- CANTON JUNCTION
LABEL: DIFFERENCE MEDIA
BACK WITH THEIR GREAT BLEND OF TEXAS SWING, SOUTHERN GOSPEL, AND COUNTRY, CANTON JUNCTION DELIVER AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR LISTENERS WITH THEIR FIRST RECORDING OF HOLIDAY SONGS. MATT HAGEE (TENOR), RYAN SEATON (BARITONE), CASEY RIVERS (LEAD), AND TIM DUNCAN (BASS) PUT THEIR SIGNATURE SOUND ON MANY CLASSIC CHRISTMAS TUNES. THIS CD IS SURE TO BE ON REPEAT THROUGHOUT THE SEASON!! THE ALBUM KICKS OFF WITH A POWERFUL RENDITION OF “JOY TO THE WORLD,” FOLLOWED BY A WARM, MOVING VERSION OF “WE THREE KINGS,” FEATURING EACH MEMBER. TIM DUNCAN NAILS HIS VERSE ON THE LATTER WITH POWER AND RICHNESS. DUNCAN AND RIVERS TRADE OFF ON THE FUN, COUNTRY STYLED “A BIG OLE TEXAS CHRISTMAS,” COMPLETE WITH FIDDLE, AND BOUNCING RHYTHM. DUNCAN IS ALSO FEATURED ON THE TENDER HEARTED BALLAD “CHRISTMAS CAN’T BE VERY FAR AWAY,” A SONG OF ANTICIPATION. HIS WARM AND RICH TONES TRULY REMINDS ME OF THE LATE GEORGE YOUNCE. THIS TRACK IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE BEST ON THE CD IN MY OPINION. NEXT, THE GROUP “COUNTRIFIES” THE CLASSIC “ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH,” AS WELL AS “HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING.” EACH TRACK FEATURES THE IMPECCABLE HARMONY AND BLEND OF THE QUARTET. “LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH,” FEATURES THE CRYSTAL CLEAR TENOR OF MATT HAGEE. THIS BEAUTIFUL BALLAD HIGHLIGHTS OUR DESIRE FOR THE PEACE OF CHRIST TO WASH OVER OUR WORLD. THIS INCREDIBLE TRACK IS RELEVANT IN THIS UNCERTAIN AGE. THE SONG ALSO FEATURES THE VOICES OF GUEST: THE HAGEE CHILDREN AND PASTOR JOHN HAGEE. “THE FIRST NOEL,” PULLS ON THE HEARTSTRINGS WITH ITS SLOWED TEMPO AND BEAUTIFUL STRINGS AND PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT. CASEY RIVERS TAKES THE LEAD DELIVERING A POWERFUL AND SOULFUL PERFORMANCE. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE SONG OF ERNIE HAASE & SIGNATURE SOUND FAME, “GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST,” ALSO FEATURES RIVERS, IS A MEANINGFUL ANTHEM THAT PRAISES THE LORD ON HIGH. THIS INCREDIBLE RECORD CLOSES WITH A WORSHIPFUL MEDLEY OF “SILENT NIGHT” AND “AWAY IN A MANGER.” THIS TENDER MEDLEY FEATURES RYAN SEATON’S WARM TONES AS WELL AS MATT HAGEE AND TIM DUNCAN. OVERALL, THIS IS DEFINITELY A MUST BUY! ONE OF THE BEST CHRISTMAS CD I’VE HEARD THIS YEAR BY FAR. EXCELLENT VOCALS! 5 OUT OF 5 STARS!!!
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