|
  Katherine
Nelson makes a tender debut into the LDS market with an album along
the lines of Hilary Weeks and Cherie Call's releases. It's not quite
peppy enough to be solidly pop but it does have some lighter moments
among its inspirational fare. The eleven track album features several
unfamiliar names among its lyricists and composers, and the familiar
with Brett Raymond, Tyler Castleton and Jericho Road's Abe Mills
among the better known names. Nelson also gets credit on a few of
the songs.
Brett Raymond's handprints can be seen all over the album, in fact,
as the overall feeling is one that is often felt with his work…good
lyrics for the soul with interesting music for the ears. Good stuff.
"You Surround Me" is the lead track and it has a reflective
feel. She does a slightly uncanny echo thing with the chorus phrase
"You surround me" that might be a less pleasing to some
ears, but otherwise the song is good. It was written by Nelson and
Tyler Castleton.
"Sometimes He Lets It Rain" is the second track and was
written by Castleton and Staci Peters, both with good track records
in the LDS music industry. This song has a slightly jazzy feel that
screams "Brett Raymond was here." He in fact did the remixing,
piano and background vocals on the song.
"Love's Sweet Name" is the third track and is written
by Cindy Morgan. It gets a lovely piano treatment by Brett Raymond,
along with some strings. This song has the gentle cadence of a lullaby
with its rhyming lyrics, although Nelson's voice could have been
a little less lounge-y in sound.
"Follow Jesus There" is one of the more upbeat tracks
with a steady strum and drumbeat to carry it along. Written by Steve
Siler and Bob Farrell, it says that "There's a hope beyond
the hurt/If I follow Jesus there."
"Carry Me" is written by a foursome that includes Steve
Siler, and it is also slightly upbeat in feel. I like how the lyrics
flow: "To carry me, when I'm too weary for walking/To shoulder
me, 'cause I can't stand alone/Cradle me, when all my hope has been
broken/Cover me and Lord, I'm finally home."
"Stay" was written by Nelson and Brett Raymond and speaks
of the desire to have the Spirit with us continuously.
"You Can Let Me Down" is a wonderful tribute to the parental
side of Christ, that part we can run to when we're hurt. Good song.
"Fireplace" is a slower ballad written by Nelson and Castleton
that speaks of the desire to keep the flame within burning brightly.
"Standing Still" is another piece by Nelson and it starts
off peppy and takes a turn as Nelson drags it through the first
verse. The chorus returns the peppy pace and stays upbeat through
its finish. Even though the music is wearisome the lyrics are good
and particularly good for uplifting a sad heart.
"Reaching" would be one of the best songs on the album
if the producers mixed the vocals so quiet compared to the music
in spots. It certainly features some of the best music, with reliable
Michael Dowdle and Rob Honey on guitar and bass respectively. It
also features Kenneth Cope on keyboards, Tyler Castleton on piano
and Todd Sorensen on cymbals.
"Broken Feathers" is the final track and was written by
Nelson. The lyrics are heart-breaking and one wonders what happened
to Nelson to write of such sad things as broken hearts, feathers
and nests. An extraordinary way to end the album, in my opinion.
Nelson has a good voice but her style of phrasing wasn't as pleasing
to listen to on the slower songs. When the tempo was paced faster,
those phrasing tics left her voice and it sounded much better.
There is a lot of good material on this album, so I hesitate to
pan the album, but I will warn that it could have been a stronger
debut. Solid material, but a less solid voice to showcase them in.
------------------------
Dacia
A. Blodgett-Williams
|
