Daniel Amos Message Board | Print: reveiw of latest Randy Stonehill project

Posted by Jim Muglia on 11-22-2002 at22:09:

reveiw of latest Randy Stonehill project

Greetings,

My "Edge of the World" cd came in the mail today. I'm letting it run through its third play right now; and its giving me that peaceful easy feeling. As usual for Randy, its as positive and profound as it is real.

This one is in the same category as "Return to Paradise" in terms of its musical style and lyrics; and it may be premature but it also seems as good in quality too. Is there a killer track like "Starlings" on it? Still too early to tell, as the songs are still sinking in. All the tracks are solid though, to be sure.

There is no lyric sheet with it; but the lyrics sound great, and there are a few good standout lines.

There were two risks, from my perspective, taken on the project:
1) the ragtime piano part at the beginning and end of "We Were All so Young", which works well.
2) the "hip" sounding spoken bridge in "Dare to Believe", which, great as the song is, he may look back at it in a couple years and say "hmm, why'd we need that for". To be sure though, it is a great leadoff tune, and a great Stonehill song, no doubt about it.

Its hard to pick a favorite song, as I'm still getting used to the tracks, however I can say quite certainly that this one will certainly rank among his best works. The song "Far,Far" written with Terry Taylor, is very good.

I'll add more in the future, as it grows on me more and more, and my perspective on it is shaped more. I really am enjoying it though, I can say that.

Anyone else hear it and have an analysis of it?
Jim

Posted by Mark on 11-23-2002 at08:04:

So where did you purchase it?

Posted by Jim Muglia on 11-23-2002 at11:50:

quote:

Originally posted by Mark
So where did you purchase it?

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product/80951419?item_no=CD33424

I also saw it at my local Christain bookstore.

Posted by baxter on 11-23-2002 at19:47:

thanks for the review, James.

i'll get it when i can afford it.

Posted by Jim Muglia on 12-12-2002 at10:12:

OK, the cd has had time to sink in. There are at least four songs that will go down as Stonehill classics:

*That's the Way it Goes
- probably easily the project's best track,
my daughter Lydia makes me play it over and over, she loves it
*Prisoner of Hope
*Dare to Believe
*We Were All So Young

Anyhow, check it out sometime. Am I still the only one on the board who has heard it?
Jim

Posted by jollyholiday on 12-12-2002 at11:16:

stonehill

I've got the new Stonehill as well. I'd say my favorite on the disc at this point is the track, "All I Know." The song has some profound truths about God's majesty and His grace in contrast to our frailty and fallenness as humans...and the tune is melancholy yet God exalting at the same time. I agree that the duet with Phil Keaggy, "That's the Way it Goes," is one of the strongest tracks on the disc as is the duet with Sara Groves, "Take Me Back." I'm not very fond of the "We Were All So Young," after several listens. It was good the first couple of times through, but I'm actually programming that track out when I listen through now. Overall a very good Randy Stonehill disc, definatley worth checking out.

-Jolly

Posted by Jim Muglia Jr. on 12-12-2002 at11:45:

I'm surprised you'd pick "Starlings" as a classic Stonehill tune. It's always been one of the most annoying songs from my point of view.

I'm looking forward to getting this one too, and wish the powers that be would re-issue Between the Glory and Flame. Now that was a great album.

RCC

Posted by Jim Muglia on 12-12-2002 at12:12:

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Muglia Jr.
I'm surprised you'd pick "Starlings" as a classic Stonehill tune. It's always been one of the most annoying songs from my point of view.

I'm looking forward to getting this one too, and wish the powers that be would re-issue Between the Glory and Flame. Now that was a great album.

RCC

huha
I always thought "Starlings" was the best song he's ever done, from the guitar to Mark Heard's great production, to its poetic and haunting lyrics. Plus I think the song opened up his whole world into making "artist" type albums rather than commercial albums, being the first song on "Return to Paradise", his first total ditching of trying to appeal to teenyboppers.

I agree tht "Flame" would be great on CD, but I believe that they lost the master tapes, so I doubt we'll ever get to hear "5th Avenue Breakdown" in great CD qualtiy, something I've alwys wished for. Maybe Jason T. knows a more accurate scoop on Flame's hopes of making it to CD?
Jim

Posted by mannequin wright on 12-13-2002 at02:28:

We are in full agreement on Starlings, James.

Posted by DaLe on 12-13-2002 at08:57:

quote:

Sara Groves Rocks...

BTW she is also on,
"City On A Hill: It's Christmastime" VeRY GooD.

Randy Rocks Too !

Posted by brdhsnyrsoul on 12-13-2002 at16:42:

I'm listening to "Edge of the World" right now. All I Know is my personal favorite from the CD. I do like the duet with Phil though. I really do like this CD. Randy is such a good songwriter. The "we were all so young" song is a little annoying to me. I really don't like Annie Herring on it. Weird. The other duets are great. I'm glad Randy is still strumming.

Posted by Jim Muglia on 12-14-2002 at20:58:

We Were All So Young

Well since the song "We Were All So Young" is certainly the most unique and interesting piece on the CD, I was wondering what everyone thinks of it and why. A whole range of things go through my mind when I hear it:

- I like the psychedelic feel to it
- Larry Norman' singing sounds terrific, too bad he didn't sing more lines
- What does Paul Stokey have to do with Jesus music?
- Annie Herring's voice is in a class by its own and sounds out of place here
- Good thing Russ Taff didn't sing the line about "not caring about record deals"; I remember him griping in Time magazine about Myrrh not giving him enough money, in his heyday. Probably why he got peaved and went country. It is good to hear his voice on this song though.
- Why do I want to hear a song with a bunch of people tooting their own horn?
- Oh well, I guess I was so you-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-ung once too, and have come a long way.
- the chorus does sound pretty cool, I must admit.
- He should have just made it a duet with him and Larry, and that would have been plenty sufficient, and maybe a little more enjoyable.
- overall, a neat little song, but not the best on the CD.

Anyone else's thoughts on the song?

Posted by baxter on 12-14-2002 at22:44:

LN wrote recently on his website that he attempted to sing more lines, but his failing health did not permit it. He reports that he does not have the strength to sing.

Posted by audiori on 12-14-2002 at23:37:

We had asked Ray Ware about reissues of Randy's
old albums. We got the impression from him, it just
wasn't high on their list of to do items. Not that
they wouldn't want em in print, but that they are
just working on other things.

Also, "Between The Glory And The Flame" and "Equator"
I beleive are owned by Word. So, if Word chooses not to
reissue them, not sure what it would cost Randy to reissue
them.

As far as the masters lost thing, I have heard that too
but not sure if it's accurate. We'll ask Ray.

Posted by Jim Muglia on 12-14-2002 at23:52:

quote:

Originally posted by audiori
We had asked Ray Ware about reissues of Randy's
old albums. We got the impression from him, it just
wasn't high on their list of to do items. Not that
they wouldn't want em in print, but that they are
just working on other things.

Also, "Between The Glory And The Flame" and "Equator"
I beleive are owned by Word. So, if Word chooses not to
reissue them, not sure what it would cost Randy to reissue
them.

As far as the masters lost thing, I have heard that too
but not sure if it's accurate. We'll ask Ray.

Thanks for the scoop; and yes, please let us know if you hear anything from Ray aobut BTGF, and let him know that a few of us are dying for it to be on CD, especially since DA was the backup band for the whole album, I believe.
Jim

Posted by John Foxe on 12-15-2002 at07:37:

Noel Paul

Jim asked about Noel Paul Stookey's relation to Jesus music. He put out several Christian recordings in the late 70's / early 80's.

He's a Christian, although he's radically socialist in his political leanings (and very blatant about it), which in my view is problematic. He never lost that 60's Marxist baggage from Peter, Paul and Mary.

Posted by Jim Muglia on 12-15-2002 at09:09:

quote:

Originally posted by John Foxe
Jim asked about Noel Paul Stookey's relation to Jesus music. He put out several Christian recordings in the late 70's / early 80's.

He's a Christian, although he's radically socialist in his political leanings (and very blatant about it), which in my view is problematic. He never lost that 60's Marxist baggage from Peter, Paul and Mary.

Thanks for the scoop, I didn't know any of that. nada that "60's Marxist baggage"; I could even see where some good folks on this board are carrying some of that around, unfortunately for the gospel. My advice to those who became Christians in the 60s or 70s is to please, and I mean please, prayerfully reexamine your political views, as innocent lives are literally at stake.
Jim