Various Artists
Ultimate Music Makeover: The Songs of Michael W. Smith
(2005)
Reviewed by Brian A. Smith
A question for the discerning music fan: If a label releases a tribute record to its own founder, and one of the songs is performed by that label founder's own son, is the project just a touch self-serving? Following the lead of the recent Charlie Peacock project, Rocketown has put together a tribute/re-interpretation album of Michael W.
Smith's songs.
Smith has always been a mixed bag to me, following the radio friendly trends of CCM, while writing songs for other artists, and recently embracing the legacy of Rich Mullins. His voice is an acquired taste, with a graininess that can sometimes detract from the quality of the songwriting and piano ability that Smith possesses in
abundance.
A breakdown of the songs reveals a good cross section of Smith's career. "You Need a Savior" (Sarah Kelly) receives a major update in style which leaves it sounding fairly modern. Smith's son Ryan chips in his version of "The Race is On" which is performed in an acoustic, almost '70's style that betrays the weakness in his voice.
"Rocketown" is a smoother version of the original, as done by Shaun Groves, and David Crowder's portrayal of "Secret Ambition" varies little from the original. Plumb's take on "Pray for Me" is much faster from start to finish, and should appeal to younger fans, who find the original to be plodding.
"Missing Person" (Tree63) is an adult alternative piece here, fitting somewhere between Vertical Horizon and Duncan Sheik. Todd Agnew's re-working of "On the Other Side" is heavier than its predecessor, and features a deeper vocal. Taylor Sorenson's "Lamu" is almost the same as Smith's, but done in a higher key. All Star United adds "Go West Young Man," which has a Steve Taylor-lite sound.
The biggest disappointment here is that the pre-release does not include the song which Smith will ultimately be known for. "Friends," sung nationwide at every church camp during the mid 80's to early '90's, has been re-recorded by... Stryper.
Like Smith's albums, this disc is an amalgam of various styles, designed to appeal to several different audiences. It is somewhat surprising that there are only ten songs, and no appearance by Chris Rice, Ginny Owens, or George Rowe.
3 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2005Reviewed by Burton WrayUltimate Music Makeover is a unique creation in that other artists are invited to redo their favorite songs from Michael W. Smith and put whatever spin they want on the songs. Many tribute albums would focus on the best songs from an artist but not this project. This results in some interesting songs appearing on this album, such as "Lamu." Ultimate Music Makeover starts off strong with great…The Phantom Tollbooth 2005Reviewed by Bob FelbergThe Ultimate Makeover: The Songs of Michael W. Smith is an album that features many of today's modern artists offering their version of classic MWS hits. I am not a big fan of tribute albums. I might get a track or two that I like, but I am a firm believer in the fact that the original music is always better. That is the way it is supposed to be, right? If it ain't broken, why try to fix it? And…
