CD Review: Kingsmen – Missing People
RATING: 4 Stars
Producer: Jeff Collins
Website: www.kingsmenquartet.com
Song Titles: “Missing People,” “Someday,” “They Went To Pray,” “Mountain Of Grace,” “When It’s All Said And Done,” “Cheer The Weary Traveler,” “God Saw A Cross,” “He Picks Up A Beggar On The Way,” “God Knows,” “He Is The Only One,” and “Someday” (reprise)
Missing People doesn’t quite rise to the level of When God Ran, but it’s still a strong CD by the Kingsmen. My favorite track is “Cheer The Weary Traveler,” a nearly forgotten spiritual that was recorded previously by the Cathedrals. Harold Reed clears his sinuses for a super high note near the end of this arrangement.
It’s interesting to compare the Kingsmen versions of “Missing People” and “God Knows” with the versions recorded by the songwriter, Dave Williford. “He Is The Only One” is another track I enjoyed. It’s in a classic style, sung with good blending harmony. There’s a reprise of “Someday” at the end of the CD with all the instruments stripped away except for piano and bass guitar.
All in all…it’s a good project by the Kingsmen.
The arrangement of “Cheer The Weary Traveler” that the Kingsmen used here is almost identical to the one the Rebels used in the 70s. On the turnaround, Reed’s high notes are very similar to the ones that Ron Booth, Sr. hit in the Rebels version.
Hasn’t “He’s The Only One” been recorded by the Kingsmen before? Written by Oscar Case?
If this is the same song, they did it on the “RELEASE ME (FROM MY SIN)” record. Probably on other records also, since that was a compilation. I think it was Johnny Parrack that was featured.
Different writer…Randy Shelnut, Jr. and Craig Pippen are the writers of the song on Missing People.