Release Year: 1992
Album Rank for Group: #1 of 13
Here’s a blurb: My favorite Greater Vision album reaches back to the original lineup, which I consider to have the greatest trio vocal blend in the history of gospel music. The album contains my favorite Greater Vision song, “He Is Mine,” as well as every kind of song you could want on a southern gospel album. The opener and title track is the oft-forgotten page #2 in the redback Church Hymnal and is given a terrific straight-up convention treatment. The studio recording of one of Gerald Wolfe’s signature songs, “There Is a River,” is found here, although it doesn’t touch their live performances of it. A Chris Allman composition, “Lay Them Down and Leave Them,” adds some country flavor. And there’s so much more. All are arranged with primarily piano and strings, giving the album a very simple but elegant feel. If there’s a gospel album out there where a trio sounded any better than on this one, I want to know about it. I believe this is it.
Knock my socks off: He Is Mine, There Is a River, Stand in Awe, It’s Just Like Heaven
Don’t skip that one: Lay Them Down and Leave Them, Don’t Try to Tell Me, No One Cared so Much, Nothing Is Impossible
I could honestly do without: Always Enough
Wait, there’s more!: A full review
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My favorite version of “There Is A River” was their performance with Stan Whitmire on the “We’ve Come To Worship” VHS.
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Absolutely agree. I saw that on TV for the first time a while back. The couple of live performances I’ve seen, they always reach up for that high ending. On the studio recording, Gerald just carries the lead like normal even in the tag. They actually do that on a few songs on this CD, including “He Is Mine” and “No One Cared so Much”. Gerald told me one time they changed the ending of the latter on the re-release, which is available digitally and is the version I have.
I’d like to hear someone with a copy of the original CD, and find out which songs may have had their ending changed. I can’t think of a good reason why they would do that, but apparently they did.
Interesting. I never knew they changed endings. Was this on the encore series one? I bought it, but never opened it.
Author
Yep…Brentwood Records Encore Series.
Interesting. I got the Encore one even though I have the original. I just figured it was the same which really it should be in that the Encore series was supposed to be the original albums. However, my opinion might be different if they changed the endings on the originals down the line and this is a re-issue of that. With that said, I prefer the high ending on “There Is A River” so I am glad they improved upon the originals and released it in improved form. 🙂
Author
Just to clarify, on the studio recording I have, which is the Encore series, the ending is not high. It’s only on the live versions that I’ve heard the high ending. And I’m wondering if the original CD had the high ending.
On this recording of “He Is Mine,” Mark does the last “he is mine” an octave down from where Chris does it on the live versions I’ve seen, and the harmonies are stacked lower accordingly. The ending on “No One Cared So Much” is similar, although I don’t have a different version to compare it to.
One of two things happened: they recorded them originally lower, and decided to do the high endings when they sang them live. Or, the original recording could have some of the high endings, but the Encore series one changed them for some reason.
If I remember correctly “There Is A River” doesn’t have a high ending on the original. I listened to the CD when I got it, but maybe not since in its entirety. At the time I saw them live weeks into their start, but not since. So, I was unaware of differences in endings except River. On that one, I pulled out the original and compared how different they were. In fact. maybe I hadn’t even listened to the CD until then. I have a habit of picking up things as they come out (lest I forget or they go out of print) and don’t always get them listened to or do so when working which means I can’t listen as intently. It will be interesting to see how they compare and contrast.
BTW, this message need not appear here, but check your email. 🙂
Man, that sure was a good album. Personally, I was always a fan of “Always Enough” but I understand if it was semi-inspirational at the time of it’s recording. “I Stand In Awe” is a less popular gem, that someone needs to re-cut.
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Every time I listen to “Stand in Awe,” I keep on waiting for another power chorus that never comes. Great song, but it seems too short.
Would an other power chorus make you “Stand In Awe”? 😉
I believe that now, with so many power ballads and songs with big sounds, that’s what makes it most special to me…that it is relatively short.
Author
Good point…it doesn’t fit into that predictable crescendo formula, probably by design. That’s why people smarter than me get paid to produce records and stuff. 🙂
Yo dude, what up? Are you shutting down the blog? We miss you!