Rating: 5 stars

Producer: Wayne Haun
Label: Stow Town Records
Website: www.beyondtheashesonline.com

Song titles: So Amazing To Me; Living In The Moment; Oh, The Thought That Jesus Loves Me; No Sin Greater Than God’s Grace; Peace In The Midst Of The Storm; Walking With My Eyes On Jesus; I Can’t Do This By Myself; Where The Gold Begins; When Love Whispers Your Name; Your Love Comes Shining Through; Over For Good

Download Project Here

Beyond The Ashes is a trio that has been on an upward climb in Southern Gospel music for the past couple of years. Started by Anthony Facello, former tenor of groups such as the Heaven Bound, The Down East Boys, The Journeymen, and Mercy’s Mark, the group has steadily built a fan base since around 2007. The group started under the name Anthony Facello & Crossroad before changing their name to Beyond The Ashes in 2008. With their release on Vine Records, Treasures Unseen, the trio began to make a name for themselves with successful radio singles such as “Whenever We Pray.” After signing with Ernie Haase & Wayne Haun’s Stow Town Records, they released an independent project made of covers entitled Loving What’s Begun, which was also the first project to feature the current lineup of tenor Facello, lead Dustin Doyle, and baritone Kellan Monroe. This lineup gets their first real chance to show themselves with this release.

As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, I appreciate a group that has a distinctive sound. Facello’s is a tenor voice that is instantly recognizable, but Beyond The Ashes is comprised of voices that set them apart even from the other groups he has been a part of. Each voice has a similar soulful quality that meshes well with the others. This is used to good effect on close harmony songs like “So Amazing To Me” and “Oh, The Thought That Jesus Loves Me.” You may have guessed that the latter is a cover of a Collingsworth Family song, and BTA’s version holds its own in a way that doesn’t make it feel like a cover. Facello himself gets a standout track on the project with a song from his own pen, “No Sin Greater Than God’s Grace.”

Speaking of distinctive voices, this album is a highlight reel for new lead singer Dustin Doyle. Doyle gets the lion’s share of features here, and his singing style lends itself well to the “traditional Gospel with a twist” feel of “Peace In The Midst Of The Storm,” as well as the Jason Mraz pop tune “Living In The Moment.”

In reviewing this album, I discovered that Beyond The Ashes may have established a knack for picking catchy songs; I’ve had a harder time getting most of these songs out of my head than possibly any other project I’ve reviewed. Songs like the bouncy “Your Love Comes Shining Through” and the aforementioned “No Sin Greater Than God’s Grace” or the title track have a way of embedding themselves in your head, and you’ll more than likely find yourself humming them from time to time. For any Christian music, this can be a good thing; the message in these songs is important, and they’ll be grasped more if the listener catches on to the music well. If Beyond The Ashes can continue picking songs of that nature, it certainly won’t hurt.

Treasures Unseen may have put the foot in the door for Beyond The Ashes, but Living In The Moment has the all-around quality that can potentially solidify their place on the Southern Gospel map, and that’s why it receives 5 stars.

Rating: 4 stars

Producer: Mark Dowdy
Label: Independent Release
Website: www.soundsofjericho.com

Song titles: Deeper Journey; If The Lord Wasn’t Walkin’ By My Side; Living Testimony; Resting Place; Wayfaring Stranger; Spread It Around; Jesus Never Changes; Standing In The Storm; I’d Rather Have Jesus; Leave The Light On; Ten Thousand Angels; Operator

Every so often, I’ll have a project come across my desk that is the debut for a brand new quartet to hit the Southern Gospel scene. Such is the case with this CD from Sounds of Jericho, a quartet out of Flowery Branch, GA that contains a couple faces we’ve seen before. The group was formed by tenor Stephen Sigmon and bass Stacy Bragg, who were both charter members of the LeFevre Quartet. These two are joined in this new endeavor by lead Matt Tyler and baritone Ken Thomas. Since the release of this project, producer Mark Dowdy has joined as pianist.

Obviously, the challenge given to any new group is to establish themselves as a unique presence in the SG music world. A look at the history of this genre will tell you that the groups with a sound that sets itself apart have had a lot more staying power than a group that sounds like a carbon copy of what’s already there. Given that two of the group’s members were part of a well-known group already, I expected there to be a similarity to the sound of that era of the quartet. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was only a passing comparison.

With a project made of mostly original songs, Sounds of Jericho does a good job of establishing their own identity. Some of the arrangements are pretty ambitious for a new group, but it was a risk that worked. Among the “cover songs,” I enjoyed the brassy treatment of the Henry Slaughter classic “If The Lord Wasn’t Walking By My Side” and the Country-Western tinged treatment of “Wayfaring Stranger.” The latter is probably the best classic cover on the project; it’s certainly unique from any other version I’ve heard.

The original songs make up the majority of the project, and do a good job of highlighting the sound of the group. The anthem “Living Testimony,” from which the project title is derived, would make a good choice for a radio single. “Deeper Journey” is a good harmony song. A couple of songs, such as “Spread It Around” and “Jesus Never Changes” are strong save for “plugged in” bridges made of hymns; they seem unnecessarily thrown into the songs, but this is a minor quibble.

One particularly surprising choice that a new group doesn’t usually make is throwing in an a Capella track. “Resting Place” starts off sounding like it could be a lead-in to a country or bluegrass track, but turns out to be completely instrument-free. This is a bold move, especially with some of the places the arrangement goes, but the quartet has a sound that blends well. It’s refreshing to see a new group click like this right off the bat.

I appreciate the fact that no singer strays out of their range anywhere on the album. In the early LeFevre Quartet days, Sigmon and Bragg both had moments where they seemed to be out of their comfort zone. That improved even during their time with the group, and has carried over to now. This debut project by Sounds of Jericho makes me wish that they traveled more outside of their home state, and hopefully, this project will start something in that direction. The Story of His Grace  receives 4 stars.

Rating: 5 stars

Producers: Lari Goss and Mark Trammell
Label: Daywind Records
Website: www.marktrammellministries.com

Song titles: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah; ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus; Way Past Ready; Garden City Tour Medley; Wonderful Time Up There; Too Much To Gain To Lose; Meet Me Over On The Other Side; Footprints of Jesus; I Sing The Mighty Power; The King Is Coming Medley

I’ll admit it; whenever I see the description of an upcoming project of “hymns and classics,” and the project is supposed to be a mainline release, I cringe. This is because these projects usually just rehash the same old songs that everybody and their brother has recorded, and doesn’t really do anything to break the mold, and I just end up wishing it was a table project to tide the listener over for the next major CD. When I saw some of the songs on the track list for this album, I had the same reaction. My interest was piqued a little when I saw some songs that haven’t been done to death, but I still had doubts as I gave the CD a first run-through.

The Mark Trammell Quartet has released a collection of material here that, thankfully, exceeded my expectations. Starting with a triumphant rendition of “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah,” it’s clear that this list of old songs isn’t just more of the same. A good example of this is a brassy arrangement of “Wonderful Time Up There.” This song is one that could have easily fallen into the problem I mentioned earlier; everybody seems to record it at least once, so it all runs together. Not so this time around; the orchestration gives it a unique flair, and bass singer Pat Barker turns in one of the stronger performances of his career.

Tenor Eric Phillips marks his return to the group on this project, and sounds as if he has not lost a thing in his years off the road. His solo feature on the CD, “‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus,” may not be pitched in the rafters, but it shows a smoother side of his voice that was rarely brought to bear with the Mark Trammell Trio. That’s not to say he doesn’t do some high singing here; his ensemble work on songs such as “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah,” “Wonderful Time Up There,” and “Way Past Ready,” to name a few, give the listener plenty to enjoy in that regard. Speaking of “Way Past Ready,” it is the only original song on the project, and is strong enough to fit in with the rest of the track list.

Baritone Mark Trammell is the frontman for most of the songs, and over the years has perfected a delivery style that is both unique and reliable, hitting notes that few baritones attempt (for example, the high B-Flat during “Golden City Tour Medley.”) Though the project was built around the concept of songs from the years of Trammell’s life, he is featured on the only “new” song, the aformentioned”Way Past Ready.”

While I would have liked to hear the solo feature tracks divided more evenly (Mark Trammell gets the lion’s share, with Eric Phillips and Pat Barker getting one each and new lead Nick Trammell getting none), this CD is evidence that the Mark Trammell Quartet has truly found their niche. Lari Goss’ production work, coupled with the strength of the vocals, makes for a “hymns and classics” project that is worth pushing through whatever reservations the listener may hold with that description. Lifetime receives 5 stars.

Rating: 4 stars

Producer: Tre’ Corley, Paul Corley, & Rick Sandidge
Label: Activate Records
Website: www.thelefevrequartet.com

Song titles: But For The Cross; Come And See; I’m So Saved; The Wedding Song; Put It Right There; We Are The Church; Saved By The Blood; The Blessed Hope; Someday Soon; I’ll Let You Lead Me; Standing On The Daily Promises

The LeFevre Quartet’s newest release comes in at an interesting point in their discography, as it is their first truly new release since 2008′s Nothin’ But Good. Since that time, the group has released a Christmas table project, a classics table project, a live release that combined songs from the classics album and Nothin’ But Good, and another recent table project that featured new recordings of both LeFevre Quartet songs and a couple that tenor Harold Reed brought over from The Kingsmen. Over that time period, the group has also morphed into a basically completely new quartet. Baritone Mike LeFevre is the only vocal member remaining from the lineup that produced the 2008 mainline release under Canaan Records. The vocalists now stand at tenor Reed, lead singer Jordan LeFevre (who stepped from behind the drums and sound board after David Staton’s departure), baritone Mike, and bass Paul Harkey.

Despite all the changes, the group continues the interesting arranging and strong song choices found in Nothin’ But Good and further refines those attributes. The title cut is a great example of this; a powerful song about the impact of the Cross, featuring an orchestrated sound fused with more modern elements, and an arpeggiated chord placed near the end of each chorus. Right off the bat, the group highlights the fact that their ensemble sound is the strongest it has been in their history.

Each of the group members has at least one strong feature. Newcomer Paul Harkey is featured on the first verse of the new single, “I’m So Saved,” an upbeat tune from the pen of Dianne Wilkinson that immediately grabbed my attention. Harkey is also spotlighted on “Saved By The Blood,” and a jazzy tune with a familiar sound entitled “I’ll Let You Lead Me.” Jordan LeFevre’s first full effort from the group gives him a chance to shine with the smooth “Come And See,” which got a strong reception at NQC 2012, as well as verses on “But For The Cross” and “I’m So Saved. His father, Mike, takes the first verse of the title cut, and gets a full feature on the “We Are The Church.”

Fans of Harold Reed’s days with quartets like the Dixie Melody Boys, The Florida Boys, and The Kingsmen may be thrown for a loop if they are expecting that same traditional sound. Reed is taken out of what may be considered his “comfort zone” on this project, but he pulls it off with aplomb. While “The Blessed Hope” does fit into that traditional vein, his lead on the final part of “I’m So Saved” is definitely outside the box. He is also put out front on “Put It Right There,” another “different” song for him that parallels a father and his drug-addicted son with the crucifixion of Jesus. The lyrical content is something that is not usually found in a Southern Gospel song, and it is one of the strongest songs on the project.

While not every song on the project is a home run (“Someday Soon” didn’t fit with the rest of the material, and “Standing On The Daily Promises” seemed clichéd), it is strong enough to be worth the wait for a new mainline release from the group, and sets a good reference point for the LeFevre Quartet to build from. But For The Cross receives 4 stars.

Rating: 5 stars

Producer: Roger Talley
Label: Crossroads Music
Website: www.tributequartet.com

Song titles: God’s Gonna Send A Revival; Thank The Lord; Good News From Jerusalem; The Song Of Heaven; Homesick Angel; Leavin’ On My Mind; The Time Is Now; With Just A Little; He Loved Me Anyway; Through Me, The Cross Lives On; It Always Gets The Darkest (Just Before Daylight); Better Farther On

When discussions arise about the “up and coming” groups in Southern Gospel music today, Tribute Quartet has found its way onto more and more lists in that category. The quartet started picking up steam with the release of For This Time in 2010, yielding songs that either gained radio success or have found lasting power in their program such as “Calvary Wins Again,” “I Am Healed,” and “That’s Why I Love Him So.” Before their next mainline release, The Waiting Is Over, in 2011, the group had seen the departure of tenor Brian Alvey and bass singer/founding member Dennis Dugger. The new guys, Riley Harrison Clark and Anthony Davis, filled the respective vacancies, and though that album produced strong singles like “Bring On The Joy” and “Homecoming Day,” it was not as overall solid as their previous effort, and I looked forward to when the lineup had time to gel and come together for a (hopefully) stronger release.

After an A Capella opening of the chorus of “Revive Us Again,” the group sticks with what has been their strength up to this point by featuring tenor Riley Clark on the upbeat of “God’s Gonna Send A Revival.” Clark also gets strong features on the worshipful ballad “Song Of Heaven,” another upbeat number with an interesting hook called “Homesick Angel,” and “The Time Is Now,” a tender ballad in the vein of “Save My Family.” Clark brought a buzz to the group when he joined at age eighteen with a voice that showed great potential, and it’s nice to hear his continued vocal development being evidenced in these songs.

I mentioned that the group’s strength has lied in featuring Clark, and most of the group’s better-known songs will attest to that fact. That trend is broken with this project, and by what many may not expect; two of the project’s strongest tracks are carried by baritone and pianist Josh Singletary. Most wouldn’t think that Singletary would be the featured vocalist on any “hits” for the quartet; when they started out, he was given songs that played up his “crooner” style, and it was almost a novelty when he got a feature. Since signing with Crossroads, they have gotten away from that, and Singletary really comes into his own here. “Good News From Jerusalem” is a moving track with an interesting structure that chronicles the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and Singletary’s delivery is impeccable. He also gets a beautifully orchestrated testimony song in “Through Me, The Cross Lives On.”

I also appreciated the improvement that bass singer Anthony Davis displayed on this project. I was glad to hear that he has opened up his tone a great deal and grew out of the nasal sound he had on The Waiting Is Over. His standouts on “Thank The Lord” and “Homesick Angel” were good evidence to this, and I didn’t expect to enjoy his cover of the Rusty Goodman classic “Leavin’ On My Mind” as much as I did. This development is arguably what makes the quartet’s sound as an ensemble the strongest it has been to date.

As is the case with any “new” group, Tribute Quartet has needed one project to really garner attention outside of a few radio singles. With strong performances by each member of the group and a song selection that is their best yet, Our Anthem could be that project for this group, and that’s why it’s their first ever project to get 5 stars from this site.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Producers: Michael Sykes & Aaron Crabb
Label: Difference Media
Website: www.differencemedia.org

Song titles: (Disc One) I Wouldn’t Take Nothin’ For My Journey Now; Show Me Your Way; Heaven Is; The Son Shines Down On Me; Who Am I; Go Tell It On The Mountain; Coming Home; Softly And Tenderly; The Inviting Christ; My Savior’s Love; (Disc Two) Sweeter As The Days Go By; You Are So Beautiful; What a Wonderful World; Glorify; Dig a Little Deeper in God’s Love; Going Home; Since Jesus Came Into My Heart; In The Valley He Restoreth My Soul; Hold On; Smile

Download Volume One Here

Download Volume Two Here

Southern Gospel fans who are avid Youtube watchers will no doubt remember a quartet out of Cornerstone Church singing “Sweeter As The Days Go By.” That quartet, made up of tenor Matthew Hagee, lead Aaron Crabb, baritone Michael Sykes, and bass Tim Duncan, was branded “Canton Junction.” With Tim Duncan’s return to the quartet world, and a big, exciting sound from the group, that video created a buzz that carried all the way through to the announcement of their debut project. One can infer that the group comes out of the gate with a “go big or go home” mentality, as their first release contains two discs with ten songs each.

The “go big” thing really works well with the group’s vocals, as they excel on the upbeat, country-flavored tracks found throughout the discs, one of which was already mentioned; I appreciated the fact that they used the audio from their live debut of “Sweeter As The Days Go By.” The studio cuts like “I Wouldn’t Take Nothin’ For My Journey Now,” “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” “Dig A Little Deeper,” “Since Jesus Came Into My Heart” and “Hold On” are also done in that style, and the quartet has a full-bodied presence in their collective sound that lends itself to such songs. This “full” sound also carries over to the old, quiet Rambos song “In The Valley He Restoreth My Soul,” where the vocals have a sound reminiscent of the first lineup of Mercy’s Mark.

Their softer, quieter side is also brought to bear on songs like “Show Me Your Way,” and their arrangement of the hymn “Softly and Tenderly,” which features leading vocals by Hagee that are a highlight of the project. Another standout in that vein comes in the form of “The Son Shines Down On Me,” a 1970s Oak Ridge Boys song originally delivered by Noel Fox that is turned into a Tim Duncan vehicle with a 50s movie soundtrack feel.

While there is certainly some solid work done here, I found the pacing of the project overall to drag somewhat. In between the upbeat numbers and some of the stronger slower songs, there were a bunch more slow songs, mostly consisting of hymns and classics, that seem to all run together. Individually, they are strong renditions, but the arrangements tend to not break the mold set by other versions, and they are weakened by being placed one right after the other. I also found myself hitting the skip button on several songs; the Praise & Worship style of “Glorify” was a bit too repetitive, and of the secular covers on the second disc, the only one there that seemed at home in this body of work was “What A Wonderful World,” the Louis Armstrong classic that is a Duncan feature here.

Although this project was “middle-of-the-road” for me, there are enough strong selections here to keep me coming back for more listens. Canton Junction is a solid quartet with a tight sound that has a great amount of potential, and while song selection and pacing could have been improved, this is a debut recording that proves that to be true. I am looking forward to hearing what the group records as they build off of the foundation that this self-titled project lays. Canton Junction receives 3.5 stars.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Producer: Corey Pearson
Label: Song Garden Music Group
Website: www.diplomatsqt.com

Song titles: Grand Homecoming; Joy In The Storm; Buried My Sins In The Past; God Shall Wipe Away All Tears; If Not for the Blood of the Cross; The Other Side; Travelers Protected By Grace; He Still Takes Time For Me; We’re Gonna Rise; Sheltered in the Arms of God; I’ll Soon Be Gone

The Diplomats Quartet is a family group based out of Georgia that has been around in Southern Gospel music for years. The group made main stage at NQC a couple of years back, which was my first real introduction to them. I had been unfamiliar with their music before receiving this project, so I came to this review with no reference to their sound before they signed with Song Garden Music Group last year. This CD marks their debut with that label.

The Diplomats excel at the upbeat, country flavored style of Southern Gospel music. Tracks like “Joy In The Storm,” “The Other Side,” and “We’re Gonna Rise” attest to this fact, as the group’s collective harmony seems suited to such a style, which does not require quite as much polish as others do. This mixed quartet is one of those “let it fly” groups; what you hear is what you get, and while the blend may not be as “tight” as other groups, it works well as an ensemble.

A couple of the less up-tempo songs stand out as well. “Buried My Sins In The Past” is a straight forward SG tune featuring lead singer Corey Pearson, which shows off a bit of his range, and, once again, fits the group vocals well. Speaking of Corey, he delivers the best song on this album: “If Not For The Blood of the Cross.” A powerful ballad about Jesus’ sacrifice, the performance and lyrical content made me sit up and take notice. The Diplomats would do well to send this song to radio.

This project has its fair share of cover songs. The Florida Boys recorded “He Still Takes Time For Me” on their I’m Forgiven project in 2000, and while it was written by group leader Jim Pearson and arranged by Corey Pearson, the performance does not quite stack up to that of the Boys. Two Gospel classics are also covered with “God Shall Wipe Away All Tears” and “Sheltered in the Arms of God,” and while the latter does feature guest vocals by Darrin Vincent of Dailey & Vincent, neither track really sets itself apart from other renditions of each song. That is not to say they are bad recordings; I just like to hear a classic be done with a “spark” that at least differentiates that recording from any other.

The Diplomats have put together a solid collection of songs for their Song Garden debut that defines the sound they possess quite well. While not an all-around perfect recording, it is a solid effort, and I’m looking forward to see where the next step of this quartet takes them. Joy in the Storm receives 3.5 stars.

Rating: 3 stars

Producer: Bill Traylor
Label: Manor House Music
Website: http://www.mjdubbeld.com

Song titles: On With The Praise; Discover The Wonder; O Lord I Need You; I Didn’t Buy It; God Says There’s Plenty; Through The Eyes of Faith; Forever And For Always; Inside The Gate; Answer In, “I Am”; Here A Little There A Little; Sound of Freedom

The Mark Dubbeld Family is a relatively new group that was formed a couple years ago. The father, Mark, is no stranger to the Southern Gospel scene; he sang tenor with the Celebration Quartet, a group that has ties to both the Collingsworth Family (Kim Collingsworth played piano) and Liberty Quartet (Liberty baritone Jordan Cragun’s father, Ray, sang bass). This CD marks the family group’s second effort, and is released on The Mansion Entertainment’s Manor House Music label.

As with the group’s first CD, Living Oasis, the songs are written by members of the group. Several of the tracks show that songwriting is a talent that benefits the group well. Personal favorites include “Through The Eyes of Faith,” a ballad in the same vein as the Gaither Vocal Band/EHSS song, “Dream On,” and “Inside The Gate,” a song that showcases Mark Dubbeld’s vocals in a way that bespeaks his years in the SG field. Another standout track was found in “Answer In, ‘I Am’” features son Vincent, whose vocals were mature enough for his age that I sat up and took notice.

I came away from listening to this CD with the opinion that the Mark Dubbeld Family has great potential as a group in both their vocals and songwriting. On songs like the ones specifically mentioned earlier, as well as most of the country-styled tracks like “I Didn’t Buy It,” the vocalist’s voices come together and blend well. On the other tracks, however, the timbre of each individual voice seems to clash with the others, making it sound as if each singer is trying to sing their own solo at the same time. Thankfully, the majority of the songs speak to the fact that the family has learned the lesson of “getting out of each other’s way,” so to speak, in their vocals, and the blend is much better on those tracks. Things like that let the listener know that the group is continually working on their craft and honing their sound.

I hadn’t heard the group’s other material before now, but if The Mark Dubbeld Family continues in the same vein as what is found on this project, their future in Southern Gospel music is bright. On With The Praise receives 3 stars.

Rating: 4 stars

Producer: Billy Coren
Label: Music City Media Group
Website: www.mark209.com

Song titles: The Blood of One Man; Book of Life; Count Me In; Daddy; Down In Bethlehem; Get Up In Jesus’ Name; Already On The Phone; In God We Still Trust; My Home In Heaven; That’s How Jesus Sees Me; Tougher Than Nails; Who Prayed For Me; Wine Into Water; The Tree

Last year, after the departure of baritone Ed Crawford from the Mystery Men Quartet, and the subsequent hiring of Jimmy Reno a short time later, it was announced that the group would be changing their name. During the week of NQC 2011, the new name was announced; the quartet would be called Mark209, a reference to mile marker 209 that leads into Nashville. It is fitting, then, that the group’s first project of original songs would be titled From The Heart Of Nashville.

Fans of the Mystery Men Quartet may find a lot of this project very familiar; that’s because all but two of the songs can be found on the Mystery Men’s Blue Collar Gospel project. Before you blow this off as a “get something out quick” effort, I’d encourage you to take a listen to it. I admit that, seeing the song titles, I went into this fully expecting something of that nature. However, I appreciate the fact the current lineup of Nathaniel Justice, Jym Howe, Jimmy Reno, and Joe Armstrong took the time to go back and re-record most, if not all, of the vocals on the project. Their vocals take the sound that Blue Collar Gospel had and refines it, making this CD an improvement over the original. The new tracks, “Down In Bethlehem” and “In God We Still Trust” fit seamlessly into the track list, though the latter has been recorded so much that another song may have been a better choice. I also appreciate the fact that the mix has been tweaked and improved as well. Two of the issues most of the tracks had the first time around were that the instruments were unevenly mixed (for example, the cymbals were louder than everything else to the point of distraction), and the vocals often sounded muddy behind the instrumentation. Both were resolved this time.

Being from Nashville, you would expect the country music influence to be very prevalent in Mark209′s sound, and the group certainly delivers that in both sound and lyrical content. The opener, “The Blood Of One Man,” is a straight-ahead gospel tune with that genre’s feel, as is the next track, “The Book of Life,” which highlights the quartet’s ensemble work and harmony. Other such tunes include “He’s Already On The Phone,” another harmony feature that also gives lead singer Jym Howe a solo verse, and “My Home In Heaven,” the group’s current radio single penned by Woody Wright, which has seen some favorable chart action.

The other component of a country influence manifests itself in “story songs,” and this project has its fair share of such songs with a Christian message. Bass singer Joe Armstrong delivers “Daddy,” which centers around a father figure who was a simple man of simple means, whom the singer imagines will have a similar home in Heaven near his mansion. “Who Prayed For Me” is a baritone feature for Jimmy Reno, and a thanks to an anonymous person that prayed for the storyteller during various parts of his life. Reno also sings “Tougher Than Nails,” which relates the story of a father teaching his bullied son the “turn the other cheek” lesson through the example of Jesus’ life, and tenor Nathaniel Justice carries a thoughtful ballad in “That’s How Jesus Sees Me.”

Other high points in the project come in the form of “Wine Into Water,” a tender prayer for help from God, and the project’s closer, “The Tree,” which reflects on the fact that the Creator made the tree He would be crucified upon.

This project is one of the better debuts that I have heard in the past couple of years. It defines Mark209′s sound very well, and each member of the group is featured fairly equally, so the listener gets a taste of each vocalist’s style. Fans of the Mystery Men, as well as country-flavored gospel music, will appreciate this effort from Mark209, and I would encourage the uninitiated to give this CD a spin as well. From The Heart Of Nashville receives 4 stars.

Rating: 4 stars

Producers: Justin Terry, Zack Knudsen, Andy Stringfield
Label: Unsigned (Self-released)
Website: www.justinterry.net

Song titles: There Is A Fountain, Two Winning Hands; He Has Taken His Children Home; Love Song; I’ve Never Been This Homesick Before; Knowing What I Know About Heaven; I Must Tell Jesus; I Go To The Rock; When He Reached Down His Hand For Me; God’s Gonna Do The Same For Me And You; In The Garden

A couple of years ago, there was a quartet whose label debut with Crossroads made a splash in the blogosphere, and part of the reason was the vocal prowess of their bass singer. Cross 4 Crowns boasted a young guy by the name of Justin Terry singing the bass part that drew comparisons to Jeff Chapman, a considerable feat considering his age. Now aged 28, Justin left the quartet after six years and has launched a solo ministry with this CD.

Those who have heard Cross 4 Crowns will likely know Justin Terry for the low notes he hits. On this project, he wisely breaks that mold, and instead opts for a country bass-baritone sound akin to Josh Turner or Trace Adkins. Terry covers material here that you would not expect out a bass singer’s solo project; for instance, The Hinsons’ “Two Winning Hands” gets an updated treatment that does a good job of showcasing Justin’s upper range. Other songs in that vein include “Knowing What I Know About Heaven” (yes, the one that Guy Penrod sings), and “God’s Gonna Do The Same For You And Me.”

This is not to say that the project is devoid of the lower singing that usually comes with things like this. The CD starts and ends with hymns, “There Is A Fountain” and “In The Garden,” which settle more into “bass lead” territory. Also done in a similar style is “When He Reached Down His Hand For Me,” which fits Terry’s voice well; he doesn’t try to be the next Tim Riley with it, and that works in his favor. The original song written by Justin’s dad, “He Has Taken His Children Home,” fits equally as well.

The only song that seems to interrupt the flow of the music is the fourth track, “Love Song.” Stylistically, it is different from anything else found here. While not necessarily a bad thing, and certainly not a bad song, it seems out of place here, and would perhaps have been better saved for another project of similar styles, or tacked on towards the end. Other than that, this CD is a strong collection of songs and a good display of Justin Terry’s talents. Inspired receives 4 stars.