Dave's Review

Artist: Holy City
Title: Self -titled
Label: Custom
Contact Info: Mike Bolen Ministries, 592 Fisherman's Bend, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464, 843-881-3348
Song Titles: "Beulah Land," "I'm Gone," "Outside The Gate," "I Believe It All," "Put On A Crown," "So Much God," "Had It Not Been," "He Touched Me," "Still Feeling Fine," and "He's Alive"

Holy City is a new trio that hails from South Carolina. Their self titled project contains songs most Southern Gospel fans have heard before. Some songs are very traditional, like "He Touched Me" and "Beulah Land," while others are more recently written songs, like "Still Feeling Fine." In other words, this CD is very derivitive. It won't take a place on the "all time greatest" category, but at the same time, it's much better than most first efforts you will hear.

It's always interesting to hear new groups as they are just starting out, because you can evaluate their potential to ultimately move to the professional level. Holy City definitely has the skills to be a contender. They know how to infuse a song with contagious energy. They know how to blend. They know that long notes need to have a little bit of swell in volume as they are sustained. And they know how to add extra notes at the end of a song, resolving to a pleasing final chord. They aren't scared to sing a cappella either. "Beulah Land" and the final chorus of "He's Alive" get the no instruments treatment.

This project should make record labels seeking new exciting talent give Holy City a serious look. They have excellent performance skills. What they need is a good established producer to help them record some original songs and a marketing team to give them a proper push into the industry. If you ever have the chance to hear this fine new male trio in concert, be sure to check them out.