CD Review: Dixie Echoes – I’d Rather Have Jesus
RATING: 4 Stars
Producer: Randy Shelnut, Randy Shelnut, Jr., and Stewart Varnado
Website: www.dixieechoes.com
Song Titles: “Until Then,” “Wings Of A Dove,” “When He Was On The Cross,” “I’ll Have A New Life,” “Now I Have Everything,” “He Keeps Me Singing,” “Plan Of Salvation,” “Peace In The Valley,” “He’ll Pilot Me,” and “I’d Rather Have Jesus”
Like their stage show, the Dixie Echoes take a simple approach to CD production. The four musicians instrumentalists who appear on I’d Rather Have Jesus include two members of the Dixie Echoes (Randy Shelnut, Jr. and Stewart Varnado) and two members of the Primitive Quartet (Mike Riddle and Jeff Tolbert). Their tracks are unobtrusive, giving the vocalists plenty of room to express themselves.
All the songs on I’d Rather Have Jesus are familiar to existing Southern Gospel fans. Vocal expression tends to be subtle rather than flashy, but the Dixie Echoes know how to crank it up a notch when an arrangement calls for more emphasis.
The Dixie Echoes don’t try to feed you ten different flavors. They serve that one dependable flavor. Whenever I review one of their CDs, I always find myself wishing they’d introduce some new songs (keeping their style intact, of course). On the other hand, I also find myself wishing other groups would learn to be as consistent with a style as the Dixie Echoes. There’s a great deal to be said for developing a unique sound.
With a group this consistent, I’m hard pressed to write anything about the Dixie Echoes that I haven’t already written in a previous review. Pat Barker still has a super rich bass voice; Randy Shelnut, Jr. sings in a true baritone range, which is refreshing; his dad is an effective lead singer; Wesley Smith’s tenor tones are a little too pointed for my personal taste; and Stewart Varnado is an accomplished, classy piano player.
I’d Rather Have Jesus includes an instrumental version of “He Keeps Me Singing” featuring Stewart and the band. As I mentioned a few days ago in my review of Stewart’s most recent piano CD, he is very generous with the spotlight, allowing the other players to take the melody at several points. Other highlights include Barker’s solos on “Plan Of Salvation” and the title track, Shelnut, Jr.’s solo on “Until Then,” and the ending of “Peace In The Valley” where the group pours on a little extra steam.
You threw me off with your sentence:
“The four musicians who appear on I’d Rather Have Jesus include two members of the Dixie Echoes (Randy Shelnut, Jr. and Stewart Varnado) and two members of the Primitive Quartet (Mike Riddle and Jeff Tolbert).” It took me a while to realize you meant “The four instrumentalists…” Since singers are/ought-to-be musicians, I thought this was a hash-quartet made up of 2 vocalists from one group and 2 from another. I wasn’t interested in THAT CD. But having figured out the lineup, I’m very interested and will try to get this one later today.
Are you kidding me? Next thing, you’ll be saying drummers are musicians, too!
It’s a good one! i picked it up at NQC this year, i really enjoy it.
David, could you discuss a little more what you meant by singing “in a true baritone range?”
Do you prefer baritone singers to never go above the lead in the vocal stack, or something like that?
[...] Echoes- I’d Rather Have Jesus- DBM has written a great review on The Echoes latest studio effort. I agree that they are probably the most consistent group out [...]
ITF,
It was really more of an observation about Scoot’s range…not a statement of my own preference.
Some of my favorite groups have three high lead/tenor singers (GVB, Gold City, Brian Free & Assurance) up top, and some have have two relatively low tenor/leads and a baritone (Oak Ridge Boys).