Dustin Gledhill is an award-winning pianist who happens to be able to sing as well. He brings us his second recording on the Covenant Communications label with an eleven track album that includes a mixture of hymns, original compositions and arrangements.

Six of the album's tracks are arrangements of existing hymns. Of those six, he plays two relatively straightforward, and those are "Abide With Me" and "Ye Simple Souls Who Stray." The other four are what I'd almost term fantasies because they're so far from the original as to be unrecognizable. He either changes the music completely, or does some original work with the lyrics. The results are a mixed bag for these three hymns: "Each Life That Touches Ours For Good," "Count Your Blessings" and "School Thy Feelings." The fourth hymn is a beautiful arrangement of "Let Thy Holy Spirit Guide" that works from start to finish.

The remaining five tracks are a mix of existing and original works. "Still, Still, Still" gets a moving treatment, as does "Moment Musical No. 5 O. 16" by Rachmaninoff. The Irish "Madin Gheal Eiriannich" is unfamiliar to me but sounded lovely. I especially enjoyed the Ulleann pipes on it, which were played by Brian Dobson. The title melody "Always" and "Trial's End" are both originals. "Always" was co-written with Mindy Gledhill, while "Trial's End" was penned by Dustin alone. Both are good, with "Trial's End" being my favorite. The melody was pleasing, and it was evident that the man can play the piano quite well, without being bludgeoned by the fact.

However good his performance is, I'm sad to say there wasn't an overall feeling of "Hey, this guy is awesome." I just felt a lukewarm feeling toward the entire album and hesitate to urge anyone to rush out and buy the album for that reason. It's good, just not spectacular. There are many pianists already recording in the LDS market that are stronger in their overall performance. To name just a few: Michael R. Hicks, David Tolk, Paul Cardall, Jon Schmidt, Jennie Bangerter, Merrill Jenson, Lex De Azevedo. Recordings by any of the above will be more pleasing overall. In the end, I rate Gledhill's album a 3, good but inconsistent.

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Dacia A. Blodgett-Williams

1. Each Life That Touches Ours For Good
2. Still, Still, Still
3. Let The Holy Spirit Guide
4. Always
5. Moment Musical - no. 5 op. 16
6. Trials End
7.Abide With Me!
8. Count Your Blessings
9. Madin Gheal Eiriannach (Bright Irish Morning)
10. Ye Simple Souls Who Stray
11. School Thy Feelings