Every so often, Deseret Book's division Shadow Mountain puts out a compilation of their artists' work, some of which has been previously released on other albums. "Love is a Journey" is one such album. Jenny Frogley, Brett Raymond, Jeff McLean are probably the most recognized names among those showcased, but all are good.

The album's theme is of love, specifically the love of husband and wife, so all of the twelve songs tie into the theme somehow.

Jenny Frogley leads off with "House of Faith," a gentle rocker. John McVey continues to keep things brisk with "What Love Reveals." Katherine Nelson chimes in with a slightly slower redo of a song previously recorded by Felicia Sorensen, "Another Day." Brett Raymond's excellent "She Sees a Diamond" is the fourth track. The lyrics are a nice tribute to wives who can look beyond their husbands' shortcomings.

Jericho Road's popular "For the Love of a Woman" takes the fifth slot. A nice tribute to what men will sometimes do "for the love of a woman." Elizabeth Wolfgramm of Jets background performs the lovely "Faithful," which is a nice gentle ballad. Doug Walker performs the pleasing title track, and it's an uptempo piece. Jenny Frogley does a redo of another Felicia Sorensen song "Somehow She Stays." This is one that talks about how a wife tolerates a lot of abuse because she believes in the "promises she made."

Jeff McLean's upbeat "Love is the Promise" makes a nice contrast to the serious theme of Frogley's performance. Brett Raymond's "Through Your Eyes" is another tribute to forgiving wives. I think it probably could be sung by someone with a more smooth voice to be even more pleasing, but part of Raymond's charm is his sometimes gravelly voice. Frogley performs "Love is Still There" and John McVey's "Come to Know" is the closing song.

The theme of this album gives some previously overlooked songs another chance to shine. The context works well, and all twelve tracks are more fully appreciated. The two songs previously recorded by the former Felicia Sorensen get respectful treatment. Sorensen has a lovely voice, but Katherine Nelson and Jenny Frogley are no slouches either.

This album is a good one for creating a date night mood in the home, but I don't recommend it as a Sabbath Day album. Some of the tracks are just too upbeat to facilitate the reflective mood necessary for a peaceful Sabbath. Nevertheless, the music is all good and the performances all strong, so this album rates a solid 4 stars.

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Dacia A. Blodgett-Williams

1. House of Faith - Jenny Frogley
2. What Love Reveals - John McVey
3. Another Day - Katherine Nelson
4. She Sees a Diamond - Brett Raymond
5. For the Love of a Woman - Jericho Road
6. Faithful - Elizabeth Wolfgramm (of The Jets)
7. Love Is a Journey - Doug Walker
8. Somehow She Stays - Jenny Frogley
9. Love Is the Promise - Jeff McLean
10. Through Your Eyes - Brett Raymond
11. Love Is Still There - Jenny Frogley
12. Come to Know - John McVey