Dave's Review

Label: Spring Hill Music Group
Producer: Phil Johnson, Michael Sykes, and Nick Bruno
Song Titles: "Thank Him For The Miracle," "All Of Me," "I Wanna Know You More," "Jesus Speaking Peace," "Under God," "New Shoes," "Don't Let Me Lose Sight," "The River Keeps A-Rollin'," "Steps," "Well Of Life," and "Why Aren't We Waiting On You"

The Booth Brothers have been steadily and surely gaining popularity over the last few years. Their self-titled debut recording for the Spring Hill music label is a giant step forward for this talented trio. Extra emphasis has been placed on their greatest strength; blending vocal harmony. Think the Gatlin Brothers meet Phillips, Craig and Dean. That's the league of vocal ability and finesse I'm talking about.

Drawing from a well of seasoned writers like Mosie Lister, Niles Borop, and Sue Smith, along with a respected production team, this CD is first class all the way. What propels this CD from a level of "very good" to "great" are the surprises that happen along the way. The first tune("Thank Him For The Miracle") is very good in terms of production and performance, and it does what it's supposed to do in terms of setting up the mood for the rest of the CD. The second cut (a remake of Lister's classic "All Of Me") contrasts the first cut with something surprising, and in doing so, takes the CD to the next level right away. Southern Gospel has just been unplugged, and it sounds great! If you remember a pop group called Extreme performing a song called "More Than Words" 11 or 12 years ago, you understand what I mean by "unplugged."

"I Wanna Know You More" splits the difference with a medium tempo, modern acoustic/pop production mix. It has a timeless quality. "Jesus Speaking Peace" is a little quicker, though not to the point of being "upbeat." It has some great three part harmony and a nice section at the end where the vocals echo one another. "Under God" is an inspirational patriotic tune defending the inclusion of the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Track six, "New Shoes," is another Lister remake with a typical Michael Sykes treatment . . . driving arrangement, false ending leading to a key change with the tenor taking the lead, and a classic drummer's "trash can" ending.


The second half of this project begins with another slow inspirational tune called "Don't Let Me Lose Sight," written by Jim Brady, the newest member of the trio. No Booth Brothers CD would be complete without a "Still Feelin' Fine" style arrangement. "The River Keeps A-Rollin" is a great deal of fun and should be a concert favorite. To heighten the energy, it features a guitar solo and another "trash can" ending. The transition from such a high energy song to "Steps" is a bit abrupt. "Steps" is a slow, emotionally moving song that would have probably been more effective as the final cut on the CD. Larry Gatlin wrote it, and the simple bass, acoustic guitar, and percussion accompaniment is a very nice contrast to the rest of the tunes.

"Well Of Life" and "Why Aren't We Waiting On You" conclude the CD. The first is a fun, somewhat up-tempo tune with a timeless gospel theme. "Why Aren't We Waiting On You" is more introspective than most Southern Gospel. It poses an excellent question.

If this CD mis-steps in any area, it's in offering too much variety. The Booth Brothers tackle a number of styles and do them all well. I'm glad to see them continuing to please their fans who loved "Still Feelin' Fine" with more Mosie Lister tunes like "New Shoes" and "The River Keeps A-Rollin'." Songs like "I Wanna Know You More," "Jesus Speaks Peace," and "Why Aren't We Waiting On You" may have some crossover appeal in the Christian pop market. Their new forté and what makes this CD a genuine 5 star item is the stripped down arrangements with perfectly blending vocal harmonies like "All Of Me" and "Steps." SG fans who've been wanting to hear great vocalizing emphasized more are going to love those tunes.

Rating: 5 Stars

--- David Bruce Murray