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By David F. Dawes
• Richard Cummins: Moments
As I heard the opening song, my first thought was:
“This guy’s a Beatle fan.” But while it is at times
reminiscent of the Fabs, this music is no rip-off of their sound; rather,
it is the sound of someone who has clearly learned solid musical principles
from the legendary group, and applied these lessons with originality. There
is very good work afoot here; it was recorded in Langley, Nashville and
California, and features noteworthy contributions from stalwarts Phil
Keaggy and Randy Stonehill. The recording showcases superb arrangements,
inventive melodies, excellent harmonies and some good guitar breaks. My
favourite cut is the finale, ‘Inner Groove,’ which has a
pleasingly Eastern feel and expert use of backward guitar riffs. This is
bracing, truly upbeat music. Check it out – and while you’re at
it, try Cummins’ instrumental CD, Wind
Mill. And be sure to go to his website, where
you’ll find his superb rendition of the Keith Green classic,
‘Easter Song.’ richardcummins.com
• Stephen Toon: Open Up
Solid rock from the worship leader of Surrey Alliance
Church, demonstrating assured vocals and expressing clearly sincere faith.
Excellent vocal work is contributed by Toon’s wife Lisa, on several
cuts. ‘Gloria’ is a powerful song of praise.
‘Beautiful’ is a moving tribute to Christ. ‘Save
Me’ considers what to do when disaster strikes. Toon responds:
“My first thought would be of You.” All told, this is rock
‘n roll put to very good use. My favourite cut, however, is the
acoustic rendition of the classic ‘Grace Greater Than Our Sin.’
stephentoon.com
• Christine Evans: Standing
on the Edge
This young woman has an electric guitar, and she
ain’t afraid to use it. The Victoria singer has produced an EP
which features five songs showcasing passionate vocals and shimmering
guitar. The one exception is ‘Light a Candle,’ a slow ballad
about friends praying for each other. Now breaking into the U.S. music
scene, this 18 year old dynamo could have a bright future in music. christineevans.com
• Dave Hensman: These are
the Days
This Mission-based musician – who also
serves as CEO of International Christian Ministries – has produced a
CD with lots of highlights: ‘Amazing Love,’ with a soul chorus
backup; ‘Radio Classics,’ in which an old hymn segues into
something contemporary and funky; ‘Patient Potter’ has a great
jam with sax and electric guitar; and the very effective use of female
vocals on ‘Maker of All’ and ‘Let Your Kingdom
Come.’ Hensman would probably do well with a music career if the day
job doesn’t work out. bigskymusic.biz
• One Heart: Walk Out on
the Water
This Richmond-based group provides some beautiful
harmonies and strong vocals. These are solid songs of faith and
exhortation.’Through the Eyes of Faith’ is an especially good
song of encouragement. ‘Come to Me,’ the final song, makes
several references to the classic ‘Just as I am,’ and then ends
with a lovely full harmony version of that song – a nice touch. oneheart.ca
• Sean & Aimee Dayton: Hymns
– A Modern Translation
Given the ‘worship wars’ experienced by
some churches, this is a refreshing contemporary approach to some of the
classic songs of worship from times past. This CD, released by
Langley’s ION Worship, has many of the hits from the faith Top 100,
such as ‘Crown Him With Many Crowns,’ ‘O Worship the
King’ and ‘All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.’ This
Ontario duo demonstrate great proficiency with harmony vocals. Highlights
include ‘My Jesus I Love Thee,’ ‘The Wonderful
Cross,’ ‘Fairest Lord Jesus’ and ‘What a Friend We
Have in Jesus.’ seandayton.com
• OWB: Truth?
This Surrey group, whose full name is Olivewood Bridge,
favours a metal sound on several songs, most notably ‘Case
Closed’ and others. ‘For His Children’ is touching, with
an effective use of female backing singers; ‘Rich Young Ruler’
is powerful; and ‘Still Small Voice’ grapples affectingly
with trusting the voice of God. The lyrics are often didactic, and some
might find them a tad preachy. But others will take this as it’s
doubtless intended: an earnest proclamation of truth. olivewoodbridge.com
• UTown Church: And Grace
Will Lead Me Home
Produced by a Point Grey church plant in Vancouver,
this is not really a worship CD, but rather a set of songs dealing with our
relationship with God. ‘Holy Holy/Peace’ is a reggae song with
appealing harmonies. ‘Still More’ has some excellent wordless
vocalizing. ‘I Know I’m Home’ powerfully extols the
greatness of God. ‘Face to Face’ is rockin’ praise, with
a killer horn section. For me, the only thing which doesn’t really
work is a funkified version of ‘Amazing Grace.’ Overall,
however, the CD is a fine series of reflections on God’s work in our
lives, sung by several outstanding lead vocalists. pgcc.org
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• Katy Wehr: The Smell of
Rain
This talented U.S. artist chose to record at
Vancouver’s Scamp Studios, with producer Spencer Capier and other
local musicians. Highlights include ‘Trouble and Sorrow,’ which
makes good use of violin. ‘The Day That I Die’ is an effective
gospel number. ‘Daddy was a Lake’ is Celtic fun, with sprightly
lyrics. ‘No Not One’ is a good contemporary hymn. And ‘So
We’ll Go No More a Roving’ is an appealing setting of Lord
Byron’s poetry. Wehr has a new album, In
Others’ Words, scheduled for a September
release. katywehr.com
• Lisa Adrianne: Carry On
This is good, basic pop music. Adrianne has a fine
voice, whose tuneful passion especially shines on ‘The Search
Continues’ and ‘Wrong.’ The lyrics are generally
insightful meditations on life’s struggles. Some are directly
addressed to God, such as ‘Father Here I Come,’ on which she
declares: “You put me here not to hurt me, but to set me free.”
Another highlight is ‘There You Are,’ a song of hope extolling
the “monumental love” of God. LisaAdrianne.com
• J.D. Miner: Ain’t
No Ordinary Hillbilly
This acoustic, traditional country album, from a
trio of local musicians, provides a laid back, pleasant listen. Some
durn good pickin’ and singin’ – and lyrics which provide
some interesting slices of life. The highlight for me is the gospel song,
‘Mystery.’ jdminer.com
• Glen Soderholm: World
Without End
Subtitled ‘Songs for the Seasons of
Worship,’ this is a showcase for another great talent from Ontario,
recorded in B.C. Soderholm’s superb voice conveys a palpable
conviction in all these songs. The CD was produced at Roy Salmond’s
Whitewater Studios, and features Salmond on several instruments –
along with Carolyn Arends, Jacob Moon and Steve Bell. Highlights include
‘The Lord Alone’; ‘Come Ye Disconsolate’;
‘O Lord, You are My God and King,’ from the Scottish
Psalter. My favourite is the rousing ‘Hallowed By Your Name’;
one can only say amen to that. glensoderholm.com
• The Non: Out of the Garden
This is well executed, appealing pop music. It features
very good vocals, and solid guitar work which is not overused. Standouts
include the funky, slow ‘Witness’; the insightful lyrics of
‘Everyman’ and ‘Everything is Yours’; and the
instrumentals, ‘Prelude’ and ‘Postlude.’ There is
also a hidden track at the end, which has an excellent electric guitar
workout.
• Rose Dueck: Longing
This Houston (B.C. not Texas)-based artist has an
excellent voice, which conveys warmth and sensitivity without being overly
sentimental. She also plays a tasteful piano. Highlights include ‘If
I Know You at All’; ‘Please Tell me the Story,’ which
features Dueck doing her own backing vocals; and ‘Beloved,’ a
portrayal of God’s care. My favourite is ‘Humble
Dwellings,’ a touching portrait of the infant Jesus responding to his
first hours of life. Produced by Lower Mainland musician Jim Woodyard.
• Jennifer Loewen: Wait for You
Warning: Completely concerned with Christ. These are
mainly songs of praise, very well sung. Highlights include ‘King of
Glory,’ with its Bo Diddley beat; and ‘The Secret Place,’
which has an effective piano intro. My favourite cut is ‘Breaking
Down,’ which is a beautifully executed piece consisting of several
layers of sound; it includes a recital of text, and features a soaring
vocal with gorgeous harmony.
September 2008
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