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  After
a career that has spanned 20-plus years, Kenneth Cope has finally
released a Greatest Hits/Collections album.
Titled
'Face to Face - Kenneth Cope Collection', it's largely his Tyler
Castleton-produced tracks, but also includes several of his earlier
recordings. There are two brand new recordings, two recordings with
brand new vocals, and two songs that have been completely re-recorded,
with new instrumentation and vocals.
The
album, however, does not include tracks from some of the EFY albums
Kenneth has appeared on, nor does it include anything from Kenneth's
1988 debut album, 'Heaven, Don't Miss It For the World.' And there
have been other major projects Kenneth has been a part of, such
as his instrumental debut "The Seer," none of which made
the cut for this Collection album.
Kenneth
Cope's earliest appearance was on a song called "How Much Is
It Worth," which appeared on the CES soundtrack 'Not of This
World.' (I remember that his last name was misspelled 'Copes' on
that album.)
Although
the album feels somewhat incomplete without songs like "Learning
For Myself," or "Every Man For Himself," or a few
other "Kenneth Cope" songs that have had a huge impact
in the LDS music industry, this is still a very good collection.
It
begins with a beautiful rendition of Chris Rice's 'Come to Jesus'.
I've heard that some have ridiculed Kenneth for recording songs
from outside our faith, but this song very much fits our beliefs,
and for any faith listening to this track, it is a clarion call
to 'Come unto Christ'.
The
third track is from 1997's EFY album 'Treasure the Truth' and I've
always thought it should be a classic. It's the title track of that
EFY album, and very allegorical. This is one of the tracks that
Kenneth re-recorded the vocals on for this Collection album. Likening
the Gospel to a lost treasure, and Christ to a traveler, who pays
the price so that we can have the treasure, the Gospel, for the
finder of it.
The
album continues on with a number of great tracks, including the
1989 classic, 'Never a Better Hero'. But this is not the original
version, which features a 'readers theater' after the bridge verse.
Rather, this version is the one that everyone knows otherwise. It's
noted that Kenneth wrote this song on Easter Sunday, 1988.
'Call
on Me' is from the out-of-print 'Voices' album (1991), long considered
a huge landmark album in the LDS market. More contemporary than
anything else on this album, besides 'White Dress', this is another
allegory about the temple, purity, and other similar concepts.
'Brothers'
is from the recently reissued 'My Servant Joseph', which is where
Kenneth took a decidedly more acoustic feel along with a sacred
style tone in his music. It's about Joseph and Hyrum Smith and their
relationship. This is the reissued version from earlier this year.
The original album debuted in 1993.
The
title track, Face to Face, which originally appeared on "Voices"
(1991), is arguably Kenneth Cope's signature song, along with 'Never
a Better Hero.' This version of Face to Face is the re-mastered
version, which was included on the anniversary edition of 'Greater
Than us All' in 2001.
'His
Hands' was completely re-recorded for the Collection album, and
best gives you an idea of what Kenneth Cope sounds like 'live,'
stripped down to just his soothing voice and master guitar playing.
I've heard him sing live at Education Week presentations and this
is as close to that as you'll get to a real live performance on
CD.
All
in all, this album is really a great project. Personally, I would
have liked to see some of Kenneth's earlier, more contemporary songs
make the track list, and even some more of his classic EFY recordings,
like "Once Upon a Time." Perhaps Deseret Book/Shadow Mountain
should consider a 'Volume 2' to cover those bases, as it would give
his career a more complete representation than it already has.
The
recordings on Face To Face: Kenneth Cope Collection are all very
clean and have full dynamic range, and the mixing and mastering
sound flawless. This is also the longest contemporary LDS CD I've
seen to date, with over 76 minutes worth of music.
I give
this album 5 stars. It is well worth having. Don't let anything
get in the way of you purchasing it, even if you have favorites
that didn't make the cut. You won't be disappointed!
------------------------
James
Anderson
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