Producer: Jeff Collins and Roger Fortner
Label: Horizon Records
Website: www.mckameysonline.com
I have been following the McKameys at various degrees of interest since I first heard their music back around 1985 or 1986. I have always highly respected their place in the industry as well as who they are as people, as I find them to be genuine people, who love the Lord and their audiences. They have one of the most identifiable sounds in our genre and have a very, very large following. With that said, I find that some of their recordings are just okay, and some of them are very, very good. This latest release however, probably ranks as one of their finest offerings. There is some decent variety found here and there are some extremely strong songs (which has always been one of their greatest assets). I will admit, when I first was given this assignment to review their latest release, I sighed at the thought of reviewing another McKameys recording, but I really enjoyed listening to this, over and over again!
Sheryl takes the lead on the popular Praise and Worship anthem, “CHRIST IS ABLE” and is a highlight of the recording before the tempo picks up for the peppy, “I’VE BEEN IN THE BOOK”, which features Peg. Penned by Rebecca Peck and Dianne Wilkinson, the song fits the McKameys like a glove and will no doubt be a favorite of many people.
The tempo slows down as Connie sings the contemplative, “BRING YOU GLORY”. As the song gently reminds us, our ultimate goal as Christians should be to bring glory to Savior all our days.
“I BELIEVE” is a bit of a departure from the norm for the McKameys, and Eli turns in an excellent performance before the tempo slows back down a bit for the medium tempo, “THAT’S WHY THERE’S A CROSS”. Both songs are from the pen of Sheryl Farris and are true highlights of the recording, as is the Rodney Birch penned, “A FEW THINGS”, which features Roger Fortner. As an honest prayer to the Lord, Roger interprets the lyric so well, this will no doubt be a concert favorite. I also see radio airplay in the future for this song as well!
Peg steps back up for the medium tempo, “BACK TO BETHEL” before Connie steps back up to sing another Peck/Wilkinson penned tune entitled, “DAYS GONE BY”.
Ruben steps up to deliver one of his finest performances to date on the title song, “SOMETHING WORTH SAVING”. There is also some fine guitar work done on the song as well.
Sheryl closes out the recording with an earnest plea to the Father, “COME TO MY RESCUE”. It’s a slight departure from the norm for the McKameys, as it has a bit of a contemporary/inspirational feel to it, but it’s a fantastic way to close out this recording.
In my opinion, this is the best recording the McKameys have released since their 2006 release, Fresh Manna. Tremendous song selection, along with some fresh musical arrangements coupled with the down home feel of the McKameys, makes for one of the finest recordings the McKameys have released in recent years. They still showcase their unwavering consistency, but there are some nice surprises along the way!
Track Listing:
(stars denote personal favorites)
1 – Christ is Able**
2 – I’ve Been in the Book
3 – Bring Your Glory**
4 – I Believe**
5 – That’s Why There’s a Cross**
6 – A Few Things**
7 – Back to Bethel
8 – Days Gone By
9 – Something Worth Saving**
10-Come to my Rescue**
