It’s been making the rounds around Southern Gospel blogs, but there is a petition to get a Weatherfords recording, In The Garden, released on CD. The request comes from The Netherlands, and though it may be a long shot, it’s worth signing: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/38572.html
Rating: 4 stars
Producer: Lari Goss
Label: Hopper Music
Website: www.thehoppers.com
Track list: “Victory Shall Be Mine,” “Oh How Amazing Is Amazing Grace,” “Something’s Happening,” “Nobody’s Too Bad Or Too Good,” “I’ve Been To Heaven,” “East of Jerusalem,” “Could It Be I’m Dreaming,” “He Remembers To Forget,” “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow,” “On The Authority,” “Living In The Arms Of Mercy,” “Statement Of Faith”
I’ll admit, I’m a casual fan of The Hoppers. Other than the occasional iTunes purchase of some of their more well-known songs and stuff they’ve done that I heard and enjoyed, I’m not all that familar with their work. I am, however, familiar enough to know that they have maintained a solid sound for the past few years, and this collection of songs is no exception.
The project opens with two upbeat tracks to grab the listeners attention. “Victory Shall Be Mine” has the typical orchestrated, driving sound that the group is known for, and “Oh How Amazing Is Amazing Grace” features a New Orleans big band style. On the other end of the spectrum, the title track is a big ballad that was originally done by male quartet Mercy’s Mark. The Hoppers take a more epic, ponderous approach to it than that group did, featuring the whole group on the first verse, Dean Hopper on the second, and Kim Hopper on the third verse, all the while building to the powerful chorus. What truly separates this version from any other, however, is Connie Hopper’s recitations sprinkled in between the verses, which fit in perfectly with both the lyrics and the sound of this song.
The other covers on the project include another Mercy’s Mark song, “Living In The Arms Of Mercy,” which is given a more traditional treatment this time around, and the GVB hit “On The Authority,” which is considerably jazzier than the Vocal Band rendition. The former features drummer Mike Hopper stepping behind the mic, and the latter, Dean Hopper. A Southern Gospel classic, “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow,” is also redone, and is slightly faster than most versions I’ve heard. That track features Claude Hopper in his only solo of the album.
Some of the other memorable songs from this project are “Nobody’s Too Bad Or Too Good,” which features Dean and Kim Hopper’s daughter Karlye, and is both well sung and well written, and “East of Jerusalem,” a big slow number that features Kim Hopper, and manages to be a great song in its own right without any sort of nod to the group’s hit, “Jerusalem.” The final song, “Statement of Faith,” features all the same vocalists that are on the version found on the Legacy Five project, Just Stand.
Final thoughts: In the world of modern Southern Gospel music, the names Lari Goss and The Hoppers are almost synonymous. Goss is once again behind the producer’s chair for this latest project, and the combination once again turns out a fine body of work. While not exactly exploring groundbreaking material for the group, this project sticks to the tried-and-true sound that The Hoppers have attained over the last few years, while still throwing in a few unique numbers to add flavor. One thing you can say about this group is this: they are consistent in the quality of their material. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” indeed.
Bottom line: Fans of The Hoppers, or quality Southern Gospel in general, will enjoy Something’s Happening.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Producer: Ben Stewart
Label: Unsigned
Website: www.kingdomboundquartet.com
Samples can be heard here.
Track list: “The News Is Out,” “A Love That Wouldn’t Die,” “Call Jesus,” “That Wonderful Day,” “What On Earth For,” “One Of These Days,” “I Love Living In Grace,” “The Night That Love Was Born,” “Seek and Save,” “That Sounds Like Forgiveness To Me,” ‘Save In The Cross Of Jesus,” “What A Precious Friend Is He”
Often, many Southern Gospel fans don’t pay attention to lesser-known groups. Most of the time, it’s simply because we have a preconceived notion that the quality will not be on par with the more widely known artists, and therefore won’t be worth our time or money to listen to. And sometimes, that may be the case. I’ll admit, I have that attitude sometimes as well, and even as I was in talks with a group member to do this review and was putting the disc in the player, I still had a little bit of reservation.
The Kingdom Bound Quartet pleasantly surprised me. They have a sound similar to that of the Dove Brothers or the Kingdom Heirs, which is no surprise, since the music tracks were produced at Crossroads Studios by Danny Crawford (who produced the Dove Brothers’ latest outing, Unshakeable.) Though the comparison is very tangible on the project’s more upbeat tracks, the group still has a sound all its own.
The project opens with the driving country sounds of “The News Is Out,” which features lead singer Ross Carter and displays some very smooth harmonies between he and tenor Ben Stewart on the second verse. The project then segues into another heavily country flavored song called “A Love That Wouldn’t Die,” a Dianne Wilkinson tune that has been done by both Triumphant Quartet and Steve Ladd. Bass singer Chad James displays his Jeff Chapman-like bass throughout the song.
The project’s title track, “Call Jesus,” is a slower, lightly orchestrated song that features the lead singer, and is probably one of my favorites on the disc. The group covers an old Soul’d Out tune, “That Wonderful Day,” and the two groups have renditions that are fairly equal in quality. Another cover found later on in the project is “I Love Living In Grace,” which has recently been recorded by both Tribute Quartet and Liberty Quartet. Other than some minor differences in instrumentation and vocals, not much separates this version from the other two, but that can be forgiven since the groups were working on it at relatively the same time, and therefore didn’t know what the others would do with it.
The group’s current radio single, “One Of These Days,” was a good choice for the first single, because it has the sound to hang with other quartets like the Dove Brothers, but is unique enough in sound to give the group some identity. “What On Earth For” is a smooth baritone feature for David Sherrill on the first verse. “The Night That Love Was Born” an acoustically driven Christmas song that is beautifully delivered. “Seek and Save” is another upbeat song that is one of my personal favorites. Of the last three songs, “Save In The Cross Of Jesus,” a powerful ballad featuring the tenor, is probably the most attention-grabbing.
Final Thoughts: I was impressed with my first listen to the Kingdom Bound Quartet. They are a part-time group, and when I heard that, I was surprised. They have a sound better than some of the full-timers out there. This project was two years in the making, and is the first to feature lead singer Ross Carter, whom the group heavily credits in the album insert for making the project the best it could be. The hard work by the group certainly shows; the sound is professionally done, and the song selection is great, and each vocalist does not stray out their range. Other than a couple songs that don’t particularly grab my attention, I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing this project.
Bottom line: The only way this group could be better is if a label picked them up, although I can’t imagine that the change would be all that drastic, as the Kingdom Bound Quartet is already a great sounding group. Call Jesus gets 4.5 stars.
Anyone who frequents the various Southern Gospel forums around the Internet (Southern Gospel Forums, Singing News forums, etc.) most likely would recognize the screen name Seaton. The guy behind that handle, Steve Eaton, has just recently thrown his hat into the Southern Gospel blogger ring with his new blog, Southern Gospel Views From The Back Row. It appears he is getting started the right way; his first post states exactly what he’s bringing to the table and how he will make it so his blog is something truly new. He’s already been known to make positive contributions to discussions on message boards throughout the SG world for quite a while now, so readers will know that his posts will be of the same caliber.
All of that, and his layout is pretty darn impressive as well!
Make sure to head over and welcome him to the blogosphere. (David Bruce Murray just cringed!)
There were several things that took place in the SG world last week that I was unable to cover because my Internet was down. An old pine tree in my neighbor’s yard split down its trunk and caused some problems when it hit the lines around the house. Here’s some of the items I missed:
1. Doug Oldham Passes Away at age 79 Growing up in Bedford, VA, which is a small town outside of Lynchburg, I was very familiar with Oldham’s work at Thomas Road Baptist Church and in other areas as well. Last week, he was awaiting surgery for a broken spine sustained in a serious fall, and passed away peacefully early on the morning of July 21. The funeral is today; a final dose of the reality that another legend has gone home. Here’s one of my favorite clips of Doug from the Gaither Homecoming series:
2. Matt Felts Joins Perfect Heart In a press release from the group:
One of Southern Gospel’s most beloved groups, Perfect Heart, is delighted to announce that Matt Felts has joined the group as their new tenor. “Matt has proven himself to be a premier talent in Southern Gospel but more importantly his deep desire to see God’s kingdom grow line up perfectly with our group’s main goal. Matt is a wonderful addition to our family and we look forward to all that he brings to us.” stated Mike Presnell, Legendary bass for Perfect Heart.
Matt is well known to the fans of Southern Gospel, singing for groups such as Monument Quartet and the Skyline Boys. As a member of Monument, Matt gained fans both in the Gospel and country music world through their numerous live and television appearances.
“It is an incredible honor to join a legendary group like Perfect Heart. They were the very first live concert I ever attended and I’ve always been a fan of Mike’s. Though they have a rich tradition, I am more excited about all that God has in store for us. There are so many great things coming and I can’t wait to see the fans of this group as I hit the road with them.” said matt Felts. Matt has already began touring with Perfect Heart.
Perfect Heart currently can be heard on the radio with their chart hit “Glory Waves”. Fans can see this incredible new lineup at the Showcase Spectacular on Monday at the National Quartet Convention. To learn more about Perfect Heart, fans can go to their official website at www.perfectheartqt.com
I’m interested to hear how Matt will affect their sound. The new Perfect Heart is a good quartet already, and adding a tenor like Felts will only improve them. For those unfamiliar with him, here is a clip of him with Monument Quartet singing the tenor standard, “Hide Thou Me.”
The bloggers featured in this review are Daniel Mount, Wes Burke, Brandon Coomer, Nate Stainbrook, Phil Boles, and myself. The project released today (June 1, 2010) and was produced by Lari Goss.
We hope you enjoy reading this review as much as we enjoyed writing it!
Song 1: A Higher Throne
Daniel: A few hours before this CD arrived in my mailbox, I was pondering Lari Goss’s iconic introduction to the Cathedrals classic “Champion of Love.” It’s an instantly recognizable riff—and not just because it is the melody of a line whose lyrics we remember. It’s inherently unforgettable on its own merits. I was pondering whether Goss would ever offer another intro of that caliber.
Now Declaration isn’t even in bookstores yet as I write this, so it’s far too early to declare this intro iconic. But incipiently iconic or not, the introduction instantly grabs your attention. A soaring trumpet crescendo is answered by swelling strings and woodwinds. The trumpet sounds again, and the orchestra answers. The band kicks in, and trumpet, orchestra, and band set a fittingly majestic backdrop for a lyric depicting Heaven’s throne room.
Though Declaration is so full of strong songs that there will be stiff competition for radio slots, this song should unmistakably go to radio. Though it’s 5 minutes 25 seconds long, a tempo on the fast side of midtempo makes it seem to go by faster.
Wes: What a great choice to open the disc. I love the anthemic feel of this song, and right away this cut shows that the partnership between Lari Goss and the Booth Brothers is going to exceed every possibility you’ve imagined since it was made known.
Nate: Agree totally with you guys about this song. I can’t help but get excited when I hear this song. I love it from the opening to the ending. It ends with a breathtaking, sweeping, epic ending. You mentioned the beginning being a great opening stanza, but the song also ends on a great note. Great song that Lari Goss struck gold on again. And I can’t wait to see this song get staged live.
Daniel: I knew the song was good on its own merits. But not until several weeks later, when I came across the original, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, did I fully appreciate what Goss had done with the song. I should say that I rediscovered the original, to be precise, since I had already heard it. But the arrangements are so different that I hadn’t connected the two until searching for the songwriter.
Goss deserves to be named in the same breath as Beethoven, Bach and Mozart. It would take a talent of that level to take the original and give it this level of treatment.
Song 2: God Did it All
Daniel: This Ronnie Booth feature starts simply enough. A lush orchestral track featuring the woodwind section accompanies a beautiful, lilting melody about Creation. By the chorus, the song becomes a powerful statement of God’s sovereignty. The song builds into a huge ending that should equally captivate live audiences and radio DJs (though Daywind should cut the encore before singling it, as 6:10 is too long for a single.)
The melody for this Rusty Golden / Dianne Wilkinson collaboration has a fascinating provenance: Wilkinson wrote the lyric and composed a melody for the chorus. She brought up the song during a collaboration session with Golden, who proceeded to come up with a melody for the verses—without having heard her chorus melody. Then she showed him what she had for the chorus—and they realized it was a perfect fit.
Nate: This song is very well written and very well performed. I love Ronnie Booth’s voice. This song makes you take notice of just how good of a singer he really is. I love the message to this song. It should challenge you to get ready, and to tell others that “God Did It All.”
Wes: This is the first big ballad you hear from Goss and the Booths, and it doesn’t disappoint. Ronnie Booth turns in a tremendous performance. This should be a single, the length not withstanding. Actually, the Kingdom Heirs singled “He Had To Hold To Calvary” back in the mid 90s, and it was 6:01.
Daniel: It wouldn’t be more than a minute of work to cut out the encore. They’d be wise to single it without the encore (even if they leave the alternate version on the radio compilation disc for any DJs who want it).
Song 3: I See Grace
Nate: This song written by Jim Brady along with Barry Weeks and Tony Wood, is a song that the Booth Brothers have been staging for several months now. It is one of my favorites on this project. It starts with a epic sounding intro, that settles into to a great medium to fast tempo song, that is very well orchestrated. Jim Brady gets the lead on this song.He never ceases to amaze me with his vocal versatility and range, and he really shows it here. He has Michael Booth stacked above him for part of the first verse, making for some nice harmony. I love the end of the second verse that says “Those who have come through unbearable loss not defined by the past but defined by the Cross.” That is a great line that really defines this song and makes it a potential radio hit. I have been told that this song has been going over particularly well in concerts, and I can see why.
