The parlaying of best-selling literary compositions into albums seems to be a fairly proliferative practice as of late, with texts as varied as Oswald Chambers' classic devotional My Utmost for His Highest and Bruce Wilkinson's contemporary best-seller, The Prayer of Jabez, receiving musical makeovers. Traveling Light, the fifth book by inspirational author Max Lucado to be set to music, stations veteran pop producer Brown Bannister and alternative Christian music mainstay Steve Hindalong at the songwriting helm. Given the duo's critically lauded, and commercially successful, back catalog of songwriting, performance and production work, expectations surrounding the joint effort run understandably high. To that end, Sara Groves and PFR's Joel Hanson lend their sparkling vocal talents to the infectious, acoustically-driven leadoff title track. In the same way, Jaci Velasquez's breathy and ethereal singing is the ideal decoration for the shimmering pop of "In Green Pastures." And Bryan White and Michael Tait hold back neither enthusiasm nor grit for their heartfelt respective cuts, "I Shall Not Want" and "Following Me."
But if the more upbeat tracks, by and large, hit the mark, the slower offerings fare less admirably. Amy Grant's "Gentle Shepherd" and Russ Taff's "Let it Flow," although agreeably-tempered, nonetheless lack a certain distinctiveness, while the Derri Daugherty and Ellie Bannister lullaby "Rest in Me" is similarly pleasant but forgettable. Likewise, the pairing of alternative pop/rock duo Fleming & John with the classic hymn "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us" falls just short of forming a comfortable fit. To their credit, Hindalong and Bannister offer up a well-thought collection of lyrics, and their considerable production savvy ensures that Traveling Light features no lack of candidates for singles radio airplay. But, in the final analysis, the collaboration lacks the endearingly quirky individuality of Hindalong's previous efforts and the unrelenting pop sensibility of Bannister's top works, making it a worthwhile, but ultimately unessential, acquisition.
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Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Dr. Bruce L. ThiessenSeparating the devotional riches contained in Max Lucado's Traveling Light from the songs they inspired is like stripping the evergreen needles off of a freshly cut Christmas tree. It is clear that the two modes of expression fit together like hand in glove. What is not clear is which is the guiding hand and which is the warm, comforting glove. Max Lucado is a modern-day messenger of simple…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Josh McConnellTo some, various artist albums may be getting annoying; with the City On a Hill series, Essential's new God of Wonders album, and the list could go on. But others, like myself, enjoy having the selection of various artist recordings. And now you can add one more in that selection! Inspired by Max Lucado's book with the same name, Traveling Light is full of some familiar artists. With names like…
