For All He's Done Soundtrack

GVAllDone In the southern gospel earth, you tin't get much more solid than Greater Vision. The personnel is stable (just half dozen group members in 22 years, and almost 50 years of total Greater Vision tenure amongst the three current members). The leadership and purpose are consistent. Almost importantly, the songs are relatable, accessible, and Biblical. For all of these reasons, Greater Vision releases garner loftier expectations, and rarely fail to deliver. Such is the case with their brand-new release, For All He'due south Washed.

The electric current Greater Vision lineup having been together for the last 3 years, it'southward clear what the major assets are for this version of the trio. They know what those avails are, and they are on display in their recordings. Allow'due south look at these assets, and how they are utilized to create another quality anthology.

I believe that, without question, specially in the concluding xv years, Greater Vision's greatest asset is having a consistent source of great songs "in-business firm". Rodney Griffin is one of southern gospel's near prolific and consequent striking-makers, and has been for a decade and a half. Chris Allman is a great songwriter in his own right, and, since re-joining a few years ago, has added another dimension to Greater Vision'southward vocal repertoire.

Griffin is a main of the Biblical narrative, and has an extraordinary and God-given ability for taking a simple, Scriptural truth, and wrapping it in a unique, interesting, and memorable package. The 2 most energetic tracks on For All He'due south Done are too my two favorites, and both are Griffin'due south. "Looking for the Grace" (not coincidentally, the first radio single) is 1 of the all-time uptempo songs Greater Vision has recorded in the last several years. It's fun and catchy, but don't allow that distract from the depth and maturity of the lyrical theme. "Preacher Tell Me Similar It Is" has the kind of hook you might expect from Dianne Wilkinson, only with Griffin's signature style of personal application, and a nice country rail. In today's world of then-chosen preachers tickling the "itching ears" of the masses, we tin't go enough of this bulletin. On the slow side of things, "This Is Mercy" is his nigh poignant and rich limerick on the anthology, and is another standout track.

Allman's songs bring a dissimilar element: one of personal experience and testimony. While Griffin tells the states a Bible story, Allman often tells us his story, and by extension, our story equally Christians. The album closer and title track, "For All He's Washed" was a standout from his solo recording (reviewed hither concluding year), and is a great fit for Greater Vision. If you really don't like big groundwork vocals, y'all may have an issue with this rail, but otherwise it delivers as a powerful praise canticle. "I Can Trust You" is another quality case of writing in the first person, giving a personal perspective on the relationship with Christ. Greater Vision made a good decision to bring back "The Claret Hasn't Ever Inverse," which they recorded just after Allman left the group in the mid-90s. Though it was originally recorded without him, the vocal was Allman all the style, with a nice head-bobbing groove. The organisation on For All He's Done is very similar to the original, just with Chris taking the verses instead of Gerald.

From an individual vocal standpoint, Allman is now the grouping's greatest asset. I believe he is the best tenor in gospel music, and is on the short list of greatest singers, regardless of song part. One but has to look at the number of features he gets to know that Greater Vision recognizes this. Subsequently getting seven features on their previous release, The Only Fashion, he gets v more than on For All He'south Done. On songs like "For All He'due south Done" and "The Claret Hasn't Ever Changed," he combines smoothness and feeling in the verses with effortless power to carry the choruses. And when they demand someone to actually "take it home," Allman is the man for the job. "Seeking for Me," a Lanny Wolfe cover pulled from the Cathedrals discography, has an exquisite system that is moving and serenity throughout, except when Chris soars in the 2d verse, making for an exceptional track. (Hither is a proficient place to mention Lari Goss, and his gorgeous work on the orchestral arrangements, particularly on this track and "This Is Mercy".)

Six paragraphs in, I accept barely mentioned the man at the head of Greater Vision, and in the producer's chair on For All He's Done. The other of the group'due south greatest assets is the musical acumen and vision of Gerald Wolfe. Much every bit he does on stage as ane of the genre'south best emcees, he knows the right musical buttons to push for this group of singers, at this fourth dimension. He's an all-time song peachy, but no longer is Wolfe'due south the voice that carries the trio's sound. In fact, on For All He'due south Done, he only gets one verse of one vocal as a solo. (On no other major Greater Vision recording has he gotten fewer than 2 features, and he has well-nigh always gotten at least iii.) He fills Glen Payne's shoes on the first verse of "Looking for Me," and does so beautifully, in a low range. Though his private voice isn't the focus, yet, Wolfe's manus is evident throughout the recording. Greater Vision is by and large not about huge, loftier endings and loud, hard-driving numbers, though they tin can do those when they want. As producer and leader, Wolfe delivers what they do best: bringing meaningful gospel truth to their listeners in a comfy and pleasing package.

As a result, For All He's Washed isn't the kind of CD yous pop in for stereotypical "driving" music, or when yous're hungry for those big, dramatic musical moments. Only one song on tin exist really classified every bit "fast" and there's no huge, formulaic ability carol. Honestly, I'm the blazon of fan who really likes the fast stuff and the big stuff, so I might accept preferred substituting one of the several low-key, country-tinged songs for a more energetic ane. But this recording isn't nigh knocking anyone's socks off. Instead, this is a CD you will desire to listen to in those peaceful times, peradventure on your front porch, when you desire to contemplate the goodness of God. That's something we all could stand to practise a little more of, and in that location'south no ameliorate way to practise that today than with some Greater Vision.

Album Rating: 4.five stars

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