Point of Grace, for the uninitiated, were the princesses of Christian pop starting in the mid-90s. Songs like “I’ll Be Believing,” “The Great Divide,” “Circle of Friends,” “Jesus Will Still Be There,” “Keep the Candle Burning,” and “How You Live (Turn Up the Music)” helped the girls amass a huge following that garnered them 27 #1 radio singles, over eight million in album sales (including 2 platinum records), three Grammy nominations, and several Dove Awards.
The group made a decided shift towards a more pop-country sound after their single “How You Live (Turn Up the Music)” became a surprise mid-level hit at Country radio, and it paired the group with hit-singer/songwriter Cindy Morgan (who wrote the fan favorite single). Since then, all of the group’s recordings have had a marked country vibe, which has fit the group exceptionally well.
The trio paired up with Morgan again with Turn Your Eyes, only to see Morgan sit in the producer’s chair this time around. Morgan saw big success last year while producing Lynda Randle’s critically lauded Pilgrim Journey, and her own brand of Americana and roots influenced music really sits well with Point of Grace’s current brand of pop-country.
Turn Your Eyes has a lot to love. The album kicks off with the swampy, blues-infused original “At the Table.” The ladies co-wrote this one with Morgan and Maxwell Ramsey and is a real album highlight. Their cover of Rich Mullins’ “Awesome God” is a fun treatment of the CCM classic, and their inclusion of Sandi Patty’s hit “How Majestic Is Your Name” on the bridge really sets it apart from other covers.
“I Believe” is another cover of a CCM classic. This rendition is another fun selection, and the inclusion of the song’s originator Wes King really highlights this track. A couple of other Cindy Morgan originals show up as well, including the title cut “Turn Your Eyes” and “My Ransom” (a song The Hoppers covered several years ago as well). These songs highlight why Morgan has become such a celebrated writer and arranger.
The hymn “It Is Well” is absolutely gorgeous in this acoustic setting, and their cover of Phil Wickham’s modern worship tune “House of the Lord” is a fun inclusion. “Somewhere Down the Road” (a now classic from Amy Grant’s 1997 release Behind the Eyes) closes the album nicely with its delicate piano and acoustic-based track.
I don’t really jive with their cover of “Waymaker.” The arrangement just doesn’t find its footing. I think if they had stuck to the original arrangement and melody, it would’ve worked much better.
Overall, Turn Your Eyes (Songs We Love, Songs You Know), Vol. II is such a breath of fresh air for the ladies of Point of Grace. Their partnership with Cindy Morgan for this record really took things to another level, and the trio has never sounded better. Fans of Southern Gospel and positive country would find a lot to like on this record and should definitely give it a chance.
Producer: Cindy Morgan
Record Label: Curb | Word Entertainment
Website: www.pointofgrace.net
