Brian Free & Assurance - It’s So God, CD Review

Apr

2006

Brian Free & Assurance - It’s So God

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Produced by Wayne Haun
Executive Producer: Dottie Leonard Miller
Label: Daywind Records
Website: http://www.brianfreeandassurance,com

It’s So God is the latest studio recording from Brian Free & Assurance – one of Southern Gospel’s most popular quartets. Greater Still was the group’s last studio offering – and an album that many were calling Brian Free & Assurance’s finest project to date. The group released last year’s Live From New York which spawned off the #1 hit “Long As I Got King Jesus”. It’s So God finds the popular group building on the successes of both albums – taking the slight progressive edge from Greater Still and incorporating the live Black Gospel feel of “Long As I Got King Jesus” on several cuts.

The album opens with “When the Lord Says Go” – and the listener is automatically greeted with a bright horn section and exquisite vocal delivery from Bill Shivers – one of the industry’s most underrated lead vocalists. The album moves right into the beautiful ballad “It’s All About the Blood”, written by Marty Funderburk and Tammy Dunaway (of the Dunaways). “The Coming of the King” kicks things back into high gear with its radio friendly melodic hook and Gospel tinged-vocals.

The first radio single – “If It Takes a Valley” – features a strong medium paced celtic track and recalls the hit song “More Than Ever” which the Gaither Vocal Band took to the top of the charts several years ago. “Man of Sorrows” is another beautiful ballad from the group, and again, Bill Shivers absolutely shines on the song. The album closes with another Black Gospel flavored number with “Jesus Will Pick You Up” – one of the album highlights.

It’s not all ballads, big band numbers, and Gospel inspired tracks on It’s So God. The album proves that Brian Free & Assurance remains one of the most diverse groups on the scene as they also tackle traditional SG (“Deep Deep Sea”), inspirational balladry (“The Only Thing Broken”) and country (“Keep the Old Man Down”).

Probably the album’s strongest cut is “Under Cross Examination” written by Marty Funderburk, Steve Marshall, and Ed Shiver. Recalling the same kind of lyrical theme as the Perry’s “I Rest My Case at the Cross” – “Under Cross Examination” features a stronger hook and melody line than the latter and will probably be remembered for years as a Brian Free & Assurance classic.

Featuring songwriting talent from the likes of Marty Funderburk, Kyla Rowland, Joel Lindsey, Wayne Haun, Tony Wood, Kenna Turner West, Twila McBride-LaBar, Dave Clark, and more, It’s So God, lyrically, far surpasses most of today’s recordings. Couple that with some of the best production work ever from the hand of Wayne Haun, and you have a real winner.

It’s So God is by far Brian Free & Assurance’s strongest record to date, and arguably the best album to be released in years in the Southern Gospel market.

Reader Comments

Hey Chris, great review!!! No doubt about it, BF&A;are at the top in southern gospel music. There's not a harder working or nicer bunch of guys out there today! This latest offering will broaden there fan base more than ever! Congrats to Brian and the boys!!

Commented by Ted Matchett On 04/04/2006

A great project from beggining to end. Wayne did a great job as usual. Bill's range blew me away. He can compete with most tenors in the industry. Great job!

Commented by On 04/04/2006

What an awesome project!!! Each and every member of BF&A;really shone on this project. "It's So God" is a smashing follow-up to "Live in New York City". Way to go guys!

Commented by On 04/05/2006

IMO, these guys can do some SERIOUS singing!

Commented by On 04/05/2006

AWESOME, AWESOME PROJECT! Great CD...has some GREAT songs on it! "When The Lord Says Go" is one of my favorites, it is a very cool song! You couldn't ask for a better CD than this!
If you don't have this one yet...go buy it...you will be glad you did!

Commented by On 04/05/2006

This will no doubt be the quartet recording whereby all others from this point forward will be measured by. This recording is absolutely awesome. People will be talking about this recording 20-30 years down the road.

Commented by On 04/05/2006

Great review of a great CD by Brian & the guys. My favs are MAN OF SORROES, KEEPIN' THE OLD MAN DOWN, & UNDER CROSS EXAMINATION. IF IT TAKES A VALLEY has a different feel to it but I really like it, too. Of course, the whole project is great but then I love whatever the guys do.

God is good all the time & all the time God is good.

Elaine Harcourt

Commented by On 04/06/2006

This CD is the best ever by BF&A;. There simply is not a weak spot anywhere. I has not left my stereo since I got it. It's one GREAT cut after another. It has at least 7-8 potential radio hits on it. I'd hate to have to pick the singles. It would be hard to leave the ones not chosen behind. Way to go Brian...Love ya man.

Commented by BIG MO On 04/09/2006

This CD is terrific! All of the songs are great, but "When the Lord Says Go" is quite sensational. "Under Cross Examination" is also very powerful and spirit-stirring. This is definitely their best CD yet; they just continue to get better and better! Their overall sound right now is so full and thick and their instrumentations are also just amazing. I can't wait to hear them in Muncie, IN on May 5!

Commented by On 04/22/2006

I agree 0! This cd is one of the best to come along in SG history. I love "Keeping The Old Man Down," "The Coming Of The King," and "Deep, Deep Sea."

Commented by On 04/27/2006

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