One of the greatest thrills I get when writing reviews is when I can turn people on to a project that is something other than what they thought it would be. In other words, when we review a release from the likes of Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, or Carman, most people have a general idea of whether or not they are going to like it or not. Every so often, a project comes along that really surprises everyone and becomes that enjoyable hit you have been looking for to spice up your collection. Well, this could be one of those for you.
I would bet that many folks have passed over the new project by Truth because they think of them as one of those old groups that keep hanging around that have that outdated, college-choir sound. Surprise!
The group, which has been around for 25 years with various members (including members of 4Him) have made a definite change in their musical direction. With this new project, their 38th, they deliver a product that is power-packed with several energetic pop tunes and a few excellent ballads to round it out. Without a doubt, the six current members of the group brought a fresh enthusiasm to the studio.
Super-group producer Paul Mills (Phillips, Craig & Dean, The Imperials) does a magnificent job of utilizing all the talent afforded him. He masterfully mixes the vocals to give One great variety. The first two cuts, "One" and "Trust," deliver a great upbeat groove chock full of sassy electric guitar and horn play. Both songs carry mid-to-fast-paced opening lines where one or two voices carry the load. Then, they quickly climb to a rousing peak in the chorus where the six voices sound like 100. Both of these cuts are fun songs full of celebration. Their message of encouragement and steadfastness in our Christian walk comes through with flying colors. Both of these are radio friendly CHR tracks.
Another example of this style of full-force, roof-raising pop comes in "You Have Welcomed Us." Complete with a techno/pop-sounding musical intro, it stays on the roof with plenty of high-energy vocals from the group. This shotgun blast of vocal force does a wonderful job of delivering a comforting message of God's desire for us to come to him:
We are welcome here In Your house O Lord We can feast at Your table Sit at Your feet There's a special place Set for each of us You have loved us And welcomed us here.
On the other end of the spectrum of musical style are several inspiring ballads. The best of which may be "The Mind Of Christ." Here Mills takes a lone voice, surrounds it with gentle piano play and uses the others to provide some subtle, easy background vocals. It challenges us to reach for the mind of Christ in our daily walk:
The mind of Christ My highest goal The Lord's delight The desire of my soul The Father's heart Will always guide my life If I will have in me The mind of Christ
If all One had was a few energetic pop songs and solid ballads it would be enough to warrant as a solid project. But in between those two styles, Mills takes advantage of these six talented vocalists and delivers several mid-tempo tunes that showcase several vocal combinations. In "To Be Like You," Mills starts with male vocals with some spunky female background, then slides into just the opposite-some female main vocals backed by some deep male vocals. The song climbs to a soulful peak, with all of the voices laying some funky grooves.
In other songs, like "Help Them Heal" and "A Place Of Grace," a female vocal carries the song, while in "No Greater Love," and "A Giving Thing" it is male vocals that dominate. But in each, you get the full power of Truth with an aggressive delivery of the chorus.
All the fans that have followed Truth all these years should get ready for a blast of energy from these new members. Those that may not have heard Truth before should give One a listen. This is pop at its best, with high quality vocals, masterful producing and clear Christian themes. Either way, this is a chance for all fans to be introduced to this "Truth" for the very first time.
