TrueSong – Tell Someone
Over the last several months, TrueSong has been making a bit of a splash in the industry. Consisting of Dusty Barrett (the only gentleman I am familiar with), Michael Howard, Jay Arview, and Jarrett Grubbs, they are the house group at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky, and they represent our genre very well. With their progressive style and 4-part harmony, they have a tight sound that fans of the Gaither Vocal Band, The Sound, and Triumphant Quartet will really enjoy. This recording is their introduction to mainstream Southern Gospel, and it’s an excellent recording highlighting their style and sound.
The recording starts off with the upbeat, progressive feel of “ARMY OF LOVE”, which was written by Jason Cox, Daniel Doss, and Kenna West. The song sounds like something you might hear by an artist on KLOVE, before the tempo slows down a bit for one of my favorite songs, “I GOT SAVED”. I first heard Selah’s version of this song a few years ago and immediately fell in love with it. While TrueSong’s version doesn’t quite have the same punch as Selah, the guys do a great job with their version of the song.
The tempo shifts into high gear for the energetic, electric guitar-driven, “JESUS 1, DEATH 0”. This unique tune was written by Lee Black, Jason Cox, and Dustin James, and is a triumphant anthem that I’m sure goes over very well in concert and would be an excellent choice for a future radio single!
Slowing down the tempo, the guys do an excellent job on the CeCe Winans hit, “BELIEVE FOR IT”, which is probably my favorite version of the song before the mood shifts to a more mellow feel for the encouraging message in the song, “GRACE TALKIN’”.
Borrowing from the recent Gaither Vocal Band arrangement of the Southern Gospel classic, “CHILD OF THE KING”, the guys do an excellent job with this big arrangement before moving on to the worshipful “EL SHADDAI”, not to be confused with the Amy Grant classic from the early ’80s. While I am not a big fan of Praise & Worship music, I really do enjoy this song and have to say it’s a highlight of the recording.
Things get kicked back into high gear with a cover of the Zach Williams hit tune, “OLD CHURCH CHOIR”, before the mood shifts to the quiet reflective feel of the ballad, “WAITING FOR ME”. I love the simplicity of this song and it’s a nice departure from the rest of the songs on the recording and is probably my favorite on the recording.
The guys do a great job covering Mac Powell’s driving tune, “REVIVAL”, before things come to a close with the acoustically driven country ballad, “DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING”. The song has a distinct “Tim Menzies” feel to it and is different from any other song on the recording, so it was a perfect move to place it as the final song on the recording.
Produced by Jason Kyle Saetveit, long-time producer for power-house group Selah, this is an excellent recording with a good mix of new and cover songs showing the diversity of the group and what they have to offer musically and vocally. Those who prefer a more traditional approach to Southern Gospel may not fully appreciate this recording, but a “progressive traditionalist” like myself, found a lot to enjoy with this recording, and I look forward to hearing more from these guys very soon!
Personal favorites include “Army of One”, “Jesus 1, Death 0”, “Believe For It”, “Child of the King”, “El Shaddai” and “Waiting for Me”.
Producer: Jason Kyle Saetveit
Label: New Day Records
Website: www.arkencounter.com/truesong
Rating: 4 ½ Stars
