SOUTHERN GOSPEL SPOTLIGHT PRESENTS:
CD REVIEWS:
A TRIBUTE QUARTET SPECIAL:
TRIBUTE QUARTET’S QUARTET TRIBUTE VOL.1 (RE-RELEASE)
&
ONCE MORE
LABEL: DAYWIND RECORDS
PRODUCERS: GERALD WOLFE (QT VOL.1) AND TRIBUTE QUARTET (ONCE MORE)
RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 25, 2024
GROUP MEMBERS (FOR BOTH PROJECTS): GARY CASTO (LEAD), JOSH SINGLETARY (BARITONE/PIANIST), GUS GACHES (TENOR), AND IAN OWENS (BASS)
QUARTET TRIBUTE VOL. 1
SONG LIST:
- I’m Standing On The Solid Rock- (Harold Lane)
- Over The Moon- (VB Ellis)
- Every Question Will Be Answered (Chris Binion & Rodney Griffin)
- His Tomb Is Empty Now- (C.A. Wright and J. Wright)
- Come On Let’s Go To That Land- (Public Domain)
- Hide Thou Me- (LR Tolbert & Thoro Harris)
- Move That Mountain- (Joe Thomas)
- What A Meeting In The Air- (Marty & Ann Phillips)
- I’ve Been With Jesus (And I’m So Happy)- (Arthur Smith)
- Hold On (Jesus Will Come)- (Jim Hill)
BREAKDOWN:
Preserving the heritage of Southern Gospel Music is part of Tribute Quartet’s motto. On that premise, this stellar group started a series of recordings back in 2017 called Quartet Tribute that feature the classics. Fast forward to this year (2024), the quartet has released three recordings in this series with the third being nominated for a Dove Award. Given the overwhelmingly positive response to these records, Tribute announced a limited Quartet Tribute Tour for 2025 that will exclusively feature songs from those three albums. In conjunction with this announcement, the group went back and remastered Volume 1 and added vocals from Gus Gaches and Ian Owens. This re-release is simply incredible! Gus Gaches delivers a fantastic vocal on the tenor classic “Hide Thou Me,” and “Over The Moon.” Ian Owens shines on the bass standard “Come On Let’s Go To That Land” which showcases his incredible range. The arrangements seem unchanged for the most part. The one noticeable change is the added turn around chorus on “His Tomb Is Empty Now.”
FINAL THOUGHTS:
THIS SERIES HAS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS THAT TRIBUTE QUARTET HAS EVER DONE. THIS RE-RELEASE SIMPLY BRILLIANT. IT HONORS THE ORIGINAL RECORDING WHILE ALSO ADDING A FRESH NEW FEEL TO IT. AS I STATED IN MY REVIEW OF THE ORIGINAL VERSION IN 2017, THIS ALBUM FEATURES A GREAT SELECTION OF SONGS, TOP NOTCH VOCALS, AND STELLAR PRODUCTION FROM GERALD WOLFE. I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED WHEN GROUPS RE-RECORD CDS AND SONGS WITH NEW MEMBERS, SO THIS IS RIGHT UP MY ALLEY. IT IS GREAT HEARING GUS AND IAN ON THESE INCREDIBLE SONGS!
5 OUT OF 5 STARS!
ONCE MORE
SONG LIST:
- God’s Gonna Send Revival (Jeff Gibson, Kirk Talley)
- I Love Living In Grace (Rodney Griffin)
- The Time Is Now (Rebecca Peck, Dianne Wilkinson)
- Thank The Lord (Janice Crow)
- I Heard It, I Believe It (Brian D. Alvey)
- His Tomb Is Empty (Ronnie Hinson)
- Helpless, Not Hopeless (Chris Binion, Marty Funderburk)
- More Than Able (Rodney Griffin)
- Save My Family (Tammie Herring)
- There’s A City Beyond The Clouds (Marcia Henry, Barbara Huffman)
- Hidden Bonus Track: Better Farther On (Public Domain)
BREAKDOWN:
Tribute Quartet revisits eleven more of their own hits and popular songs with Once More. This exciting new project is the perfect follow-up to their 2021 release Once Again, which featured songs from Tribute’s own catalog given a fresh new spin with the current lineup. If you have been following this blog for any length of time, you would know that this is right up my alley. I love when groups revisit songs giving them fresh arrangements or tracks and new vocals. This second installment features incredible songs from several Tribute Quartet albums including: For This Time (2009), The Waiting Is Over (2011), and Our Anthem (2012).
This incredible album opens with a fresh new version “God’s Gonna Send Revival” from Our Anthem. Gus Gaches takes the lead on this fun, up-tempo tune that simply says: Get Ready! God is gonna send revival all over this land! We are gonna be marching to victory with power in our hands! I’m not entirely sure if the key is lower on this version, but Ian Owens sings some really low bass on this version. I also loved the backing vocals on parts of each verse. “I Love Living In Grace” remains true to the original version from 2009’s For This Time. This song showcases the group’s stellar harmonies and praises Christ for the Grace He has given us. I love living in His Grace and Mercy. I love living for Jesus more every day! I love being forgiven and claiming His Promise. Gus Gaches takes the lead again on “The Time Is Now,” a powerful track from 2012’s Our Anthem. This song encourages listeners to obey the call and share the Gospel to all the world! “Thank The Lord,” also from that album, simply says: I want to thank the Lord for what He has done for me! Gary Gasto and Ian Owens take the verses of this fun up-tempo tune. Josh Singletary takes the lead on the Tribute classic “I Heard It, I Believe It” from For This Time.This great song is given a fantastic update here though it remains true to the original arrangement. “His Tomb Is Empty” is one of my all time favorite Tribute Quartet songs! I am thrilled that it was included here. Ian Owens delivers an incredible vocal on the second verse of this fun song (also from For This Time) that proclaims: His tomb is empty because my heart is full! Gus Gaches shines on the beautiful ballad “Helpless, Not Hopeless” (from For This Time). This incredible song reminds us that in Him, we are strong and we have Hope. Next, the group revisits three tracks from 2011’s The Waiting Is Over: “More Than Able,” “Save My Family,” and “There’s A City Beyond The Clouds.” Josh Singletary and Ian Owens shine on the easy listening style tune “More Than Able” which reminds us that God is in control and through Him we can overcome any challenge or trial. Gus Gaches delivers an incredible vocal on the moving ballad “Save My Family” which asks God to save us from this lost and dying world. Use us Oh Lord to bring people to You. This incredible album closes with a rousing rendition of “There’s A City Beyond The Clouds” which features Gus Gaches once again and low step-out lines from Ian Owens. This track also seems to be in a lower key than the original. Also included is a bonus hidden track: “Better Farther On” from Our Anthem.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
TRIBUTE QUARTET DELIVERS YET ANOTHER STELLAR RECORDING. A WORTHY FOLLOW-UP TO ONCE AGAIN, THIS PROJECT GIVES NEW LIFE TO ELEVEN MORE TRIBUTE CLASSICS. AS I SAID EARLIER, I LOVE THIS CONCEPT. AS WITH THE QUARTET TRIBUTE SERIES, I HOPE THIS BECOMES A CONTINUING SERIES FOR THE GROUP AS WELL. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: “HIS TOMB IS EMPTY,” “MORE THAN ABLE,” “THANK THE LORD,” “THERE’S A CITY BEYOND THE CLOUDS,” “GOD’S GONNA SEND A REVIVAL,” AND “I HEARD IT, I BELIEVE IT.”
I HOPE THEY INCLUDE SONGS FROM 2006’S MY TRIBUTE AND 2007’S ANTICIPATION ON THE NEXT VOLUME (IF THERE IS ONE).
THIS IS A MUST HAVE FOR TRIBUTE QUARTET FANS AND FANS OF SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC IN GENERAL.
5 OUT 5 STARS!
FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.tributequartet.com
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