Twila Paris

Item: Greatest Hits
Author: Zik Jackson

Greatest Hits

(2001)

Reviewed by Zik Jackson

Discogs TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Sparrow RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth2001

adult contemporary ccm worship

If the Contemporary Christian Music industry were viewed as a royal family, Twila Paris could be considered the queen mother. With a career spanning over two decades, she has more than made a lasting mark in the arena of worship music, she has become a living legend. Greatest Hits - Time & Again not only recaps the most popular songs of her recording career, it reminds us of the contribution Paris has made to church liturgy. Songs like "We Will Glorify" and "Lamb of God" can be found in many songbooks and hymnals, while "The Warrior Is a Child" still receives significant airplay for a tune released in the early 1980s. With tunes like "We Bow Down," "He Is Exalted," and "How Beautiful," the whole album has a worshipful tone. Other hits like "Destiny," "The Time Is Now," and "Runner" register high on the inspiration meter.

In addition to fifteen of the songs we would expect from a Twila Paris compilation, the disc includes three brand-new pieces that reveal the enduring sharpness of Paris' songwriting. "Sparks and Shadows," produced by Mark Hammond, gives a contemporary spin to the classic Paris sound, using drum loops and synthesizers which dance gracefully around the chord structure while Paris' breathy vocals deliver a lyric about God's nearness to us through thick and thin. "God of Miracles" is similar in its contemporary yet gentle sound, with beautiful harmonies, more syncopated synths, and drum loops. Both songs are sure to join the ranks of Twila Paris hits.

Listening to this disc, it's hard not to be inspired. For the long-time listener, having one disc with your favorite tunes is convenient, and the three new tunes are icing on the cake. For less devoted fans who don't own all seventeen of this songstress' works, Greatest Hits - Time & Again would be the one to buy to make up for it.

Twila Paris shows that she can still be relevant in an industry that is constantly changing. She is able to fit into the musical style of the day without compromising her own signature touch in songwriting.

4.5 tocks