SELECTIVE HEARING
by Robert Berman
VARIOUS ARTISTS KEVIN MAX DAVE PERKINS
Treasure of the Broken Land: Serve Somebody (EP) Fugitive Colors
Max follows up last year’s terrific Playing People sometimes ask where they can find new
The unexpected death of Mark Heard at the Games with the Shadow with a survey of albums that sound like classic rock. Sometimes
peak of his creative output in 1992 left a poetic Christian-themed pop from the 70’s, 80’s, and that’s like looking for new Bing Crosby material
hole at the heart of Christian Americana music’s 90’s. His golden throat tackles Christian rock at the height of Beatlemania, but there are al-
lonely road. Admirers from Bruce Cockburn to pioneers (Larry Norman’s “Righteous Rocker”), ways exceptions. Dave Perkins produced the
Kevin Max filled three discs worth of tribute al- mainstream smashes (Mr. Mister’s “Kyrie”), Springsteenish The Wild Frontier and Can’t
bums to help pay his family’s expenses. Now, youth group favorites (Rich Mullins’ “Creed”), Buy a Miracle albums for Randy Stonehill in
a generation later, music veteran Phil Madeira and under-the-radar classics (a “Nowhere Man” the late 1980s, then played with Steve Taylor
has assembled a new generation of admirers to version of The Call’s “Let the Day Begin”). He in the beloved but short lived Chagall Guevara
fuel Heard’s legacy. For copyright reasons, the even scales the peaks of Mount U2 with “Pride supergroup as well as the duo Passafist with
selections are drawn exclusively from Heard’s (In the Name of Love)” and lives to tell the tale. Chagall member Lynn Nichols. His last solo al-
acclaimed final trio of albums for his own label Max would deserve credit just for remembering bum, Pistol City Holiness, saw release in 2009,
rather than his earlier material. that there were Christian songs written more which might lead one to ask: “Has Perkins still
A tribute album always raises three questions than five years ago, but the dynamo blast of his got it?” Ooh, yeah. He’s got it. Fugitive Colors
about its songs: First, do they resemble the arrangements makes for the icing on the cake. overflows with lead-driven guitar rock, piano,
The Songs of Mark Heard
original tracks? Some artists take tribute par-
organ, and all the hooks your 60’s-70’s-loving
ticipation as a pretext to debut original compo- CHRIS SLIGH heart would desire. Perkins’ sandpaper vocals
sitions based on the lyrics of the original song, Mighty Roar/Healing Flood retain a power lost in some of his peers, and his
but not the music. No such problems here; Van Morrison-inflected soul/rock phrasings are
these are clearly the actual songs Heard wrote. none the worse for wear either.
Second, are the new versions just slavish rec-
reations of the originals? Here again, this col-
lection shines. John Mark Painter’s horns and
Madeira’s organ spice up several tracks with a
70’s soul vibe, and in general all the participants
know when to stay the course and when to zig
or zag. Third and most importantly, are these
tracks any good? The answer is an unqualified
“yes.” Heard’s beautiful lyrics get the full gaze
of the spotlight’s eye from eighteen contributors
drawn from modern legends (Rodney Crowell,
Over the Rhine, Buddy Miller), indie faves (Drew
Holcomb, Sean Rowe) and talented upstarts
(singer/mandolin virtuoso Sierra Hull). If the
absence of well-worn companions like Randy
Stonehill and Sam Phillips saddens a bit, the
TAUREN WELLS
ical mane but not his Grobanesque baritone,
which he puts to good use on this collec-
tion of self-penned songs. Lyrics show the
same Christ-oriented mind evidenced by his
ChrisSligh.org blog and Twitter presence. In 2015 Wells found himself ready and set to
Styles range from EDM (“Freedom Song”) to go solo from his popular pop quartet Royal Tai-
the echoing guitars of “You Are God” and the lor. Last year’s Undefeated EP now expands
anthemic “Stripes,” whose glory note and Isa- into his first full solo album, a mix of R&B and
iah 53 theme raise goosebumps. Kayla Bailey modern pop full of unabashedly Christian sen-
offers guest vocals on the uplifting “Worthy.” If timents. He praises Jesus (“All About You” fea-
you’re looking for thoughtful, biblically informed tures Hollyn), encourages intercessory piety
pop, Sligh is your guy. (“All the world starts shaking when the church
starts praying,” declares album opener “When
loss is cut by hearing these old songs in new
We Pray”). Rapper Kevin “KB” Burgess gives a
voices. What kind of friend would buy someone
harder edge to “Undefeated,” while “Septem-
this collection? The kind who loves enduring
ber” closes the album with a joyous cover of
songs.
58
Hills and Valleys
This American Idol veteran has shed his spher-
Earth, Wind, and Fire’s disco classic.
August 2017
WorshipMusician.com