This album features 12 songs penned by Perry and friends, with Greg Hansen handling the arrangements. I enjoyed this album much more than Perry's other 2004 release "Celtic Variations." However, it's not entirely fair to compare the two. They are different works. A more fair comparison would be between Michael McLean and Perry. The two are similar in that they both write lyrics and music that is designed specifically to evoke an emotional reaction. These twelve songs do just that and I enjoyed every minute of the ride.

First up is Dave Tinney singing the title track "By Small & Simple Means," that reminds listeners that even the simplest gestures can help heal and change hearts.

The next track that captured my heart was "He is the Way" that is the third track. I loved the refrain: "He is the Way, He is the wisdom and the wonder."

The fifth track is an anthem titled "Save the Family" that was written by Joy Saunders Lundberg with Perry writing the music. This is a great chest-thumping song with a rousing chorus: "The family is the beating heart that keeps a nation strong/If families fail then nations fall and all that's good is gone/The time has come, the time is now for everyone to see/That if we are to save the world we must save the family." This song is also recorded in Spanish and is featured in the 13th track.

The next song that resonated with me was "In His Love," also because of the chorus: "In His love I feel like a diamond, shining and polished for all to see/In His love I gleam like a diamond, facets of faith focused brilliantly/In His love I feel like a diamond-flawless and precious in purity."

I enjoyed "The Seasons of My Life" because it features lyrics for three generations of women; teen, mother and grandmother. This song won an "Award of Distinction" in the 2004 Relief Society song competition, and it's easy to see why. It's wonderful musically and lyrically. It was actually performed by Perry, her daughter Lynne Perry Christofferson and granddaughter Sarah Christofferson. All sounded lovely.

Finally, I loved "Constant & True," another chest-thumping anthem that was written especially for the youth of the Orlando Florida Stake. The chorus is powerful and catchy: "I will be constant and true, constant and true, steady as a compass, strong my whole life through/The Lord has truly blessed me and I know what I must do, I will be constant, constant and true."

Among the voices featured on the album are some great talents, including: George Dyer, Johanne Fréchette Perry, Felicia Sorensen, Jenny Frogley, Randall Porter and Tammy Simister Robinson.

I found the album musically and lyrically sound. Also, those songs that testified of the Savior were doctrinally sound. Perry is much more obvious about her belief in the Savior than McLean is and I found that to be an interesting observation about the two artists.

This is an excellent album and I rate it 4.5 stars.

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Dacia A. Blodgett-Williams

By Small & Simple Means
He Was Watching Over Me
He Is the Way
I Marvel at the Miracle
Save the Family
O Fairest Land of Adam-ondi-Ahman
In His Love
As a Shepherd
The Seasons of My Life
It Could Have Been Eden
In Jesus' Tomb
Constant & True
BONUS: Protejamos la Familia (Save the Family, Spanish)