MusicScribe BLOG

There are six CDs still sitting on my desk waiting for reviews. Five have been sitting there since NQC. Here’s a quick look:

God Is by The Cavaliers Quartet
This quartet from Shelbyville, TN has a strong, full bodied sound when they harmonize. They have some minor issues with arranging/instrumentation, mix, song selection and CD packaging (particularly incomplete song credits), but the vocal talent is pretty solid overall. Their best songs are the ones with attitude like “I’ll Be Long Gone,” “God Is” and “It’s Alright.” The least effective songs are “Jesus Knows Just What To Do” and “Oh What A Difference.” In both cases, the soloist fails to sell the song effectively. I recognized a hymn (“Praise To The Lord, The Almighty”), a Kingdom Heirs cover (“Count On You”), and a modern P&W classic (“You Are My King”), but the other seven songs were new to me. The Cavaliers are a quartet I haven’t heard previously and overall, God Is made for a compelling first impression.
RATING: 3 1/2 Stars

Something For Everyone by Voices Won
Voices Won hails from Dalton, GA. They’re a male trio of brothers (Jaron, Shantell, and Staclynn Faulknor) with a sound that’s half Booth Brothers and half Phillips Craig & Dean. Some of the more energetic tracks on this CD are a little busy, but not to the point where the instruments are competing with each other or with the vocalists for space. When I heard “Give Him Room,” I enjoyed it so much I thought I’d check recent copies of Singing News to see if it was their latest single. It isn’t. In fact, they haven’t had a song on the charts in Oct 2009-January 2010. I didn’t check any older issues. This is incomprehensible to me considering some of the marginal songs I have heard in the current Top 80.

I did a little more digging and found out that the current single by Voices Won is actually “The Road Last Traveled,” which closes this CD. This song has a fantastic message. They could probably take it to number one if they cried through it like some groups do to cover up their lack of talent, but Voices Won sings it smooth as silk. I like it even more than “Give Him Room.” It isn’t appearing on the charts, though. I’m not sure how long it’s been out. Maybe it needs a little more time. Voices Won is producing the sort of quality music that really deserves to be heard.
RATING: 4 1/2 Stars
Look for an expanded version of this review in an upcoming issue of Singing News. Click HERE to subscribe.

Songs You Know By Heart by Rejoice!
Rejoice! used to be a female trio, but they’re a mixed quartet with a 3/1 female to male ratio now. The group has a compelling mix of younger and no, I won’t say “older” voices, because I don’t want to get in trouble…let’s go with “more experienced” voices. Melissa Harding and Sherri Vestal have anchored and defined the group’s sound for several years at soprano and alto respectively. Joining them are newcomers Rachel Sellers and Tyler Vestal (Sherri’s son). Tyler is also featured on the CD playing piano. The CD features a collection of favorites ranging from hymns like “I Sing The Mighty Power Of God” and “Savior Like A Shepherd Lead Us” to Southern Gospel “redbook” classics like “What A Happy Time” and “Where The Roses Never Fade.” There’s a nice range of compatible styles from soulful (“When God Dips His Love In My Heart”) to classy a cappella (“I Sing The Mighty Power Of God,” “Fairest Lord Jesus,” and “Gloria Patri”) to traditional SG on Songs You Know By Heart.
RATING: 4 Stars

Driven Quartet by Driven Quartet
Driven Quartet’s latest is the best non-label backed release I’ve heard all year, and I’m writing this with less than two weeks left on the calendar. I’m going to make time to write a full length review on it in the next few days, but I wanted to go ahead and mention it here. Check back soon.
RATING: 5 Stars

Journey by Kristen Roller
Kristen Roller has a bright, brassy voice. She’s backed by a mass gospel choir on most of the songs that appear on Journey. Styles range from soul-stirring Black Gospel to Latin to Pop and Country arrangements. Roller is more effective when she dials the energy back a notch to sing a pop anthem like “Don’t Wanna Go” or a worship song like “Bow The Knee.” “He Ain’t Never Done Me Nothing But Good” may be the first time I’ve heard a countrified arrangement for soloist and mass choir. I really like what they were attempting to pull off here, but Roller cranks her vocal style up to eleven, verging on twelve, and that takes away some of the appeal. That’s my biggest complaint about this CD. The arrangements are innovative and varied, but when the arrangement calls for forte, Roller gives it a fortissimo. Even that would be OK if she were as innovative as, say, Crystal Lewis, but she isn’t. She stops short of being shrill, so I have a feeling this sort of over-singing would be effective for Roller in a live concert setting, but it doesn’t work quite as well on a recording.
RATING: 3 Stars

Keep Travelin’ On by The Chuck Wagon Gang
If you’ve ever heard the Chuck Wagon Gang, you know exactly what to expect…the guitar strum intros, the simple harmony, and the sincere warm delivery. On Keep Travelin’ On, only half of the songs feature the strummed intro. Furthermore, “There’s A Light At The River” (a Carl Story classic) has a banjo in the mix. Will these innovations cause a revolt among die-hard fans of the Gang? Time will tell.

I’m joking of course, but one thing I seriously would like to see the current Chuck Wagon Gang do is present a full recording of new songs. They’re being true to their roots by re-recording the old songs, I know, but I wonder if they’ve forgotten how the early group used to regularly introduce new songs. They are known for debuting classics like “I’ll Fly Away,” and are proud enough of that tradition to note it in their biography. Keep Travelin’ On isn’t all new, but there’s some hope for future CDs. They included two songs written by Rebecca Peck. I’m not sure if the Gang is the first to record these songs, but Rebecca herself is fairly young, so at least these songs aren’t from the distant past. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come.
RATING: 4 Stars
Look for an expanded version of this review in an upcoming issue of Singing News. Click HERE to subscribe.