I'll never forget the first time I met the Stutzman Family. They were one row over from the SoGospelNews.com booth at the National Quartet Convention in 2007. In promoting their new album - Come Fly With Me - they were giving away promotional bags with goodies to media folk. It wasn't just any bag - it was a bag intended for those who get air sickness on flights. That immediately stuck with me, and I knew that it wouldn't be long before the Stutzman Family was a group that we were talking about - simply for their eye for marketing.
The group is now releasing their fifth studio release - Life Stories. Life Stories was produced and arranged by Donna Beauvais (Hope's Call, Anchormen, Mercy's Well, The Browders) with additional vocal production by group member and budding music business-woman Belinda Stutzman. The result is a smooth album full of Southern Gospel nuggets.
The album kicks off with the extremely catchy cut "Story of My Life" which was written by Southern Gospel mainstay Twila LaBar before going directly into the album's first ballad - the tender "Somewhere In My Past (There's a Cross)" which was written by Joel Lindsey and Sue Smith and featuring Ryan on vocals. The album is full of songs from some of the industry's top writers - such as the aforementioned Smith, Lindsey, and LaBar - in addition to names like Dianne Wilkinson, Gina Boe, Marty Funderburk, Rebecca Peck, Jeff Ferguson, and more. In addition, group member Heather Stutzman contributed to the songwriting process for two songs as well.
The album is a great collection of progressive Southern Gospel songs. "I Was Glad" has a real church music vibe and sounds like it was written for church choirs. "I Know Which Boat to Ride" is a fantastic country-tinged tune that features Gordon Mote on the second verse. Belinda pulls off an impressive vocal performance on the worship-oriented "I Simply Love You." The album closes with the traditional and Inspirations-esque sound of "Whenever, Wherever, Whatever."
Life Stories may not be the group's first attempt at recording, but it is the first recording that will help catapult the group to the national level. This is a great recording from one of Southern Gospel's most promising new acts.
Author: Chris D. Unthank
| Author's Website: http://southernspin.com
Written: 09/02/2009
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Category: CD Reviews
Comments: 0
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