Product Description

Outline Though it's hard to doubt the faith or fault the selection on Alabama's first album of religious inspiration--and first release of new recordings in more than five years--the arrangements ran

Track Listing

1. His Eye Is on the Sparrow
2. In the Garden
3. Amazing Grace
4. How Great Thou Art
5. I Need Thee - Alabama,
6. Old Shep
7. Jesus Loves Me
8. Silent Night
9. I Am the Man Thomas - Alabama, , Ralph Stanley
10. Rock of Ages
11. In the Sweet By and By
12. Old Rugged Cross
13. What Will I Leave Behind
14. One Big Heaven
15. Rain

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8855 in Music
• Brand: RCA
• Released on: 2006-10-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Amazon.com
Though it's hard to doubt the faith or fault the selection on Alabama's first album of religious inspiration--and first release of new recordings in more than five years--the arrangements range from the heavenly to the syrupy. The best are the simplest and purest, showing why familiar hymns such as "In the Garden," "How Great Thou Art," "Rock of Ages," and "The Old Rugged Cross" have such staying power. Yet the swelling (synthesized?) strings on "Amazing Grace" and "Silent Night" overwhelm rather than enhance the grace of the material, and the children's chorus provided by granddaughters of Alabama's Teddy Gentry on "Jesus Loves Me" is a little cloying. The unvarnished vocals of guest Ralph Stanley highlight the banjo-and-fiddle-driven "I Am the Man Thomas," and gospel's the Isaacs provide ethereal harmonies on "I Need Thee." Lead singer Randy Owen offers two strong originals to close the album, the ecumenical celebration of "One Big Heaven" and the uptempo "Rain" that sounds most like the old Alabama. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews

Very good...
A friend and I picked this album up, listened and sang to it in the truck. I'm partial to the old time hymns so I smiled when I heard Randy sing these songs in the most traditional fashion (the last 2 songs being the exception....true Alabama style). The instrumental production on this album is simple but that's what I believe it should be. I felt that Alabama's focus was the words and vocal harmony on these old favorite hymns which have a lot to say. My favorite songs on the album is 'In The Garden' and 'Amazing Grace'.

Beautiful Music
This is a wonderful and very inspirational album. Randy Owen's voice sounds great, even majestic. The songs are great memories for me. The songs are sung the way Randy likely heard them sung growing up in rural Alabama in the 1950's, with soul, spirit, and feeling. The emphasis is on the words and the meaning of the words. There is a minimum of "arrangement" - if your looking for modern Christian rock or even over-arranged horns, you're looking in the wrong place. Tremendous song choices, although I would have liked to have heard Fly Away. Great emotion and a collection I'm listening to over and over. A must have. The song Rain is Randy's original and is tremendous- should be on Radio.

From the Heart and the Soul.
Nothing fancy here. Honest renditions. Great hymns. Thus the new Alabama CD. Here are Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook. Not a single drum beat, or single sound for that matter, is heard from drummer Mark Herndon. There is no mention of his name anywhere on the CD liner notes. Under percussion and drums, Eddie Bayers is listed. The CD includes the new Randy Owen penned songs, "Rain" and "One Big Heaven," with "Rain" the standout. Stripped down, simple recordings with Randy in fine form. He sings from the heart and soul. That's a good thing and it makes this recording better with every listen. Alabama with Gospel recording artists The Isaacas and Dr. Ralph Stanley and the new CD "Songs of Inspiration." We'll make it 4 1/2 Stars. Nice work guys. Thank You and God Bless You.