Release Year: 2001
Album Rank for Group: #4 of 15
Here’s a blurb: This is the last album recorded by my favorite Gold City lineup of Tim Riley, Jonathan Wilburn, Mark Trammell, and Jay Parrack. After five years together making the albums that dominate the top of my countdown, Trammell was the first to leave, to start the now-augmented Mark Trammell Trio. A long time ago, just for fun, I ranked every Gold City song I had in my music collection, which at the time included thirty-something albums. When I averaged the ranks of all the songs for each album, it was surprisingly this album that had the best average. It doesn’t have a bunch of songs that “knock my socks off,” and that’s why it’s not higher in the countdown, but it is 9-deep with songs that I really, really like. The best among them are Trammell’s last Gold City power ballad (“He Who Was and Is to Come”) and a great new convention song (“Some Glad Day”). The rest is the usual traditional-leaning, hard-driving quartet music of this Gold City lineup, with a Danny Riley-led progressive-leaner thrown in. And they certainly get bonus points for an album title taken straight from the words of Jesus (Luke 6:38).
Knock my socks off: He Who Was and Is to Come, Some Glad Day
Don’t skip that one: I Believe, I’m Not What I Was, Grace, He Took the Hill, I’ll Just Praise You, Land of No Time, It’s a Matter of Grace
I could honestly do without: None
3 comments
“I’ll Just Praise You”, Danny’s lead, was also recorded by the Journeymen Qt. , on their 2001 album “Keep Walkin’ “.
I love Gold City’s version, for the “power quartet” singing and arrangement, but honestly, for a simple, yet elegant vocal preformance, Anthony Facello just owns it. One of the best song’s he’s ever recorded.
I checked out the Journeymen’s page on sghistory. com , and was reminded of a song on the same project called “We Are Free”: WOW, what a lyric, and what a preformance by Anthony.
Then there’s the radio single, “Go Forth”, also a Facello lead. Anyway, as you can tell, I think Anthony is a great tenor.
But back on track……..
My first Gold City concert was in the fall of 2002, (Danny was already the full-time baritone), and they sang some songs off of this, ( on “Land Of No Time”, Jay and Jonathan were throwing in some comedy).
I REALLY became a Tim Riley fan hearing him sing “I’m Not What I Was”. Once you feel him sing, you’re hooked.
Tim really hammers som low notes on this project. I challenge bass singers to sing through this album, without stopping, from the 1st track to the last. You’ll be strained! “He Took The Hill”, “I’ll Just Praise You”, “Heaven, “He Who Was, And Is To Come”, “Some Glad Day”…….ok, the whole album is impressive.
And his lead, “I’m Not What I Was”, is a higher keyed song!! His drop on “I’m Not”, in the 3rd chorus, is higher than most of the real low harmony notes.
It was a very wise production choice to put “He Who Was, And Is To Come” and “Some Glad Day” back to back. Adds quite a bit of energy and excitement to the project.
This is a good, solid quartet project. They have done better, but still, this is a good CD
Now this is a good review. I loved the album. As a matter of fact, I consider it to be one of Gold City’s best albums. Three of my favorite songs on the CD are He Took The Hill, I’ll Just Praise You, and He Who Was and Is To Come. I felt like that these songs provided solid harmonies and great musical arrangements.
I have posted a review on my website for you to look at. Again, I loved Gold City’s album.
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Thanks. I enjoyed your review, Derrick, and the rest of your blog!