Review

I must confess that when I got this CD, I wondered “who is this guy”? Later on I began to see his name crop up in various worship songbooks, but, for the most part, I think he’s a pretty well kept secret. From the very first note of the title track, Chris’ diverse musical stylings and bluesy vocals complement his well-written tunes. This release is refreshing in that it doesn’t sound like so much of what is heard on contemporary Christian radio. Credit producer Dave Raven for not trying to recreate someone else’s sound or filter the songs through a formula for hit radio. It’s Chris on his guitar(s), along with bass, drums and keyboards.

“Like a Tree” begins the album with a downbeat, a soulful keyboard and tasteful guitar licks. The lyrics come from Psalm 1, proclaiming confidence in the risen Lord when faced with fear and pressure. “Everything’s Alright” is just down home blues. Sparse with just a reverbed vocal track and guitar, it builds with bass, drums and “the back up singers”. Linda and Charity McCrary and Carol Dennis provide sweet soul singing. The song is so simple and infectious, you’ll be humming it all day. John Nau’s organ begins “More of Jesus” as Chris sings “the world and its desires will quickly fade away when I lift my eyes from me onto You”.

Perhaps my favorite song is “The Throne room”. I have always been a fan of the long extended cut; the song that goes beyond the written lyric; the one that improvises. In secular music it’s just jamming to feel good. But in Christian worship, it can be prophetic. On this song, proclamation of God’s majesty and Chris’ own sacrifice and devotion to Him are followed by his exhortation for us to “enter in… lay your life down on the alter… bring your worship into the throne room”. And then, as the music rocks back and forth, there is the prophetic word from God to His people, asking why the worship has been withheld?

“Here I Am, Lord” is straight ahead Texas blues. I always like songs that give legs to our worship, directing us into the world as the Lord did. This song does that in a very southern rock sort of way! As I searched my mind for who to compare Chris and his band to, I kept going back to the secular arena. I hear Boz Scaggs, I hear Jackson Browne, I hear classic southern rock.

Who buys this album? Anyone who wants something that doesn’t sound just like everything else out there. Buy it if you don’t have enough money to buy both a personal worship album AND an album to listen to as work or drive… because it’s both. Buy it for the diversity of the music as it’s not an album that just sets one tone. Buy it for the blues!

Reviewed by: John Ausmus