Artist: Gaither Vocal Band, Signature Sound Quartet

Project Title: Together

Label: Gaither Music Group

Producer: Bill Gaither, Lari Goss, Ernie Haase

Purchase this project at: www.junipersquare.com

Whenever two quartets get together on stage, it seems as though magic happens.  I remember a few years ago when the Kingsmen and Gold City got together and recorded four KingsGold projects!  I still pull them out and listen to them pretty frequently!  In the spirit of those recordings, the Gaither Vocal Band and the Signature Sound Quartet recently got together and recorded a project.  They did a live DVD that will also be reviewed on this website.  However, the CD version is a studio recording and features some great singing.

"Great Day" is a wonderful a great way to start the project.  "Love Like A River" and that is followed by a singing convention classic, "Heaven's Joy Awaits."  You will enjoy that song!  "Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven" is the next song.

The project continues with the great Doris Akers song, "Sweet Sweet Spirit."  The guys then tackle a few patriotic songs in "America Medley."  "Oh What A Time" is an up tempo song that will be enjoyed by all who hear it.

"Sinners Plea" was written by Joe Roper and I love this song.  It has been sung many times in the past but this version was very, very good!  Another fun song is "Swing Down Chariot."  I always enjoy hearing a good version of this song and this version fits that bill!  "Blow The Trumpet In Zion" is the next song and "I Then Shall Live," which is a Gloria Gaither song from the early 1980's is next.

"Holy Highway" is a song that is not that old and I enjoyed the song very much.  The next song is a Mosie Lister classic titled "Goodbye World Goodbye."  I love this song and hundreds of groups have sung it over the year.  This version, as you would expect, is a good one.  The guys even throw in a little bit of "Just A Little While" to add to the fun.  "Sitting At The Feet Of Jesus" is an incredible song and the harmonies are awesome on this song.  The guys finish it up with a chorus titled "Holy Is The Name."

As I said, two male quartets recording together is always a great musical event.  While the Gaither Vocal Band and Signature Sound are not the most traditional quartets in the industry, they deliver a solid project with a lot of great quartet classics.  The vocal abilities of these groups is undeniable and the quality of this project is excellent.  My favorites from this CD are "Great Day," "America Medley" and "Sinners Plea."  Pick up a copy today and begin enjoying these two great quartets "Together."  For more information visit www.gaithermusic.com.

Artist: Browns

Project Title: Hope

Label: Independent

Producer: Roger Talley

Purchase this project at: www.junipersquare.com

If someone were to ask my favorite new group for 2007, I would have to say the Browns!  This family seemed to rise up through the industry very quickly this year.  Their latest project will show you why!

"Lovin' This Livin'" reminds us just how great it is to live for the Lord!  That was a fast pace song but "Hosanna In The Highest" kicks it up another notch!  This Rebecca J. Peck song is very enjoyable.  Every great group has to have a songwriter and the Browns have a couple.  Jessica Brown co-wrote "The Way He Said My Name" with Rebecca J. Peck.  The message of the song is awesome and I encourage everyone to listen to it.  I first heard this group on Tunes4Him.com singing their single!  That single was "Outta This World" and it is a great song reminding us of what Heaven is going to be like!

"Mighty Long Way" does a great job of reminding us where God brought us.  "Livin' Askin' Walkin'" was written by Michaela Brown and Joseph Habedank.  It talks of going through this life livin', askin' and walkin' by faith!  A great song with a great message.  "My Only Hope" gets Shelly Brown in the on the writing as she co-writes the song with Marty Funderburk.  The song is a wonderful song about the hope we can find in Jesus Christ!

"I'm Outta Here" is another fast paced song that is very enjoyable.  Things slow down tremendously as the Browns sing "It Took A Cross."  It is a great song talking about how it took a cross to show how far God would go to set us free.  "Come" is the next song on the project and the group does fine job reminding us that God is always inviting to come to Him!  The final song on this project is "When I Get Home."  It is a wonderful song speaking of what we will be enjoying when we get Home!

The Browns have a great sound.  This project does a fine job of showcasing the vocal talents of the group as well as their songwriting abilities.  The production skills of Roger Talley only adds to the quality of this recording and I found the entire project to be a first class effort.  My favorite songs from the recording are "The Way He Said My Name," "When I Get Home" and "Outta This World."  The entire project is worth adding to your collection.  I am pretty sure we will be hearing a lot more about this group in the future!  For more information visit www.thebrownsmusic.com.

Artist: Crabb Family

Project Title: Letting Go

Label: Daywind

Producer: Unknown

Purchase this project at: www.junipersquare.com

When a group like the Crabb Family comes off the road it can often leave a void in the industry.  The group has won countless awards and have sung a lot of great songs over the years.  The style of the Crabb Family was always different than anything else you could find.  Many groups have tried to copy it but no one has ever done it successfully.  Their final project is aptly titled "Letting Go."  As with most Crabb Family projects, it has a wide variety of music that the listener will enjoy and be blessed by multiple times.

"The Cafe" is a unique song to get started with.  It is the story of a meeting in a cafe that changes the life of the person and changes them forever.  "Give You Praise" is borderline a CCM praise and worship song!  It is a fine effort handled easily by the Crabb Family.  I enjoyed the song and, if given a chance, will likely become quite popular.  The title song, as mentioned, is "Letting Go" and this song encourages the listener to let go of the things that hold us back from freedom.  "Give It All To Him" is a great song that many will enjoy.  Like the song before it, it reminds us to give every burden we have to God and He will guide our path.

The next song really picks up the pace with "You Saved Me."  It almost has an island feel to the song.  It is a song rejoicing in the fact that God saved us!  "Don't Wait" is a wonderfully crafted song that reminds us not to wait to give your life to God.  The next song has a catchy tune.  The song is titled "Child Of The King" and the song reminds us what it means to be a child of God!  "Holy One" is another outstanding song from the Crabb Family that is asking the Holy One, our precious God, to guide us.

The Crabb Family has sung a lot of songs about brothers over the years and "Brothers And Friends" is another one to add to the list!  "Outspoken" is a different title for a song but this song is probably not what you might think.  It speaks of being outspoken in our prayers to God.  A song that is titled "Holy Ghost Stomp" can only be a fast song, right?  Well, it sure is and I really enjoyed the instrumental from the Crabb Family Band!  The final track on the project is a bonus track called "Redeemer."  What a great way for the Crabb Family to "Let Go" singing about the precious Redeemer they have sung about for so many years.

The Crabb Family has won about every award imaginable in Southern Gospel Music.  They have sung in front of huge auditoriums all over the world.  This project seems to be a perfect send off for this group with twelve great tracks.  The group vocals are impeccable as always and the Daywind production staff is one of the best in the business.  My favorite songs from the project are "Give You Praise," "Child Of The King" and "You Saved Me."  It's always sad to see a group like the Crabb Family but as the Crabb Family is "Letting Go" we can all look forward to what the Lord has in store for each of them individually!  For more information visit www.thecrabbfamily.com.

Artist: Dewayne Holt

Project Title: It's All About You Lord

Label: Eddie Crook

Producer: Eddie Crook

Reviewed By: Scott Evans

Purchase this project at: www.dewayneholt.com

This is the second project received in our offices for review by Dewayne Holt.  The project contains ten songs that were all written by Dewayne.  The project seems to do a good job building on the foundation set by his previous project.

"Grace Made A Way" starts the project off on a very positive note talking about God's Grace.  The next song on the project picks up the pace a little.  The song is titled "What A Hallelujah Morning" and it talks about that day that Christ comes back for all of the believers.  The title song of the project is next and "It's All About You Lord" reminds us of how important God is in our lives.

The tempo picks up once again with "A Million Years."  I enjoyed the song immensely and I would imagine all listeners will as well.  The next song is a ballad titled "Tomorrow."  The song is a story song that tells a sad story of the person who keeps putting off giving his life to Christ until tomorrow.  "Papa Said" is the next song.  "His Love Is Unconditional" is a song about a great truth in Christianity.  God does love us and it doesn't matter what we've done or where we've been.  That song might be the best on the project.

"He Lifted Me Up" reminds us of the power of God to pick us up from wherever we are.  "Run To Him" is popular song title in Gospel Music.  In the case of Dewayne's song, it reminds us that we often run to God when it seems like all is lost.  The best news is that He is always there and waiting.  The final song on the project is "You Bring Me Through."  The song has a great message of hope for those going through a trial that God will always be there to bring you through the trial.

Dewayne Holt has a good project here.  The songs were all written by Dewayne and they all seem to be good songs.  The production is good, as most Eddie Crook produced projects are.  Dewayne's style will appeal to the Christian Country fan as well as the Southern Gospel fan.  My favorite songs from the project are "A Million Years," "His Love Is Unconditional" and "He Lifted Me Up."  The entire project is worth a listen!  For more information visit Dewayne's website at www.dewayneholt.com.