Crystal Lewis

Item: Beauty for Ashes
Author: Vanessa Crooks

Beauty for Ashes

(1996)

Reviewed by Vanessa Crooks

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Label MyrrhThe LighthouseFebruary 1997

ccm pop worship

Brilliant, ethereal, vocal magic. Crystal Lewis captivates listeners immediately and pulls them into her world. It's a world where God's unconditional love and mercy affect and transform every corner of the landscape. It's a place where the atmosphere is smooth and lush-allowing room for contemplation. Steeped in Southern California's spiritual tradition and musical style, Lewis' latest release, Beauty For Ashes, employs a decidedly contemporary pop backdrop for its worship choruses and songs of encouragement.

The seasoning and expressiveness of Lewis' voice belies a maturity far beyond her twenty-six years. Undoubtedly, the experience of recording fourteen albums, being a cast member of Nickelodeon's "Roundhouse" television series, and participating in several evangelistic teams (including Harvest Crusades with Greg Laurie and the Franklin Graham Crusades) has honed her presentation style and strengthened her delivery. To date, Beauty For Ashes is arguably the best overall showcase for her immeasurable talent. For the first time, Lewis stays within her range (which is considerable)-she's left out the melodramatic "firework" attempts. Soul and energy are still part of her repertoire, but the vocal inflection and note selection are more natural. On Beauty For Ashes, Lewis has found her niche.

The production team of Dan Posthuma, Dan Garcia, and Brian Ray (who also happens to be Lewis' husband) does a creditable job creating a pleasing musical backdrop. Beauty For Ashes is a keyboard-driven project supported by minimal instrumentation; and at times, the drum programming and pop sheen create a rather synthetic feel. Songs like "Seasons Change," "It's Heaven," and "Lion And The Lamb" find Lewis in fine vocal form, but accompanied by lackluster instrumentation. The only anthem to really shine is "People Get Ready... Jesus Is Comin'." Its strong bass and backbeat spur Lewis' trumpet call of God's imminent return. Also exceptional is the ballad "Healing Oil"-an edgy guitar base adds flair amidst the predominantly standard, adult-contemporary selection. Clearly, the producers want Lewis' voice to be our focus (and I couldn't agree with them more), but perhaps a more acoustic approach would better accomplish this goal-providing her rich notes and silky strains a more diverse and complementary accompaniment.

Lyrically, Beauty For Ashes highlights the grace God offers us through His Son. The title track, one of three cuts Lewis composed herself, draws inspiration from Isaiah 61. She and renowned worship leader Ron Kenoly join voices to give us this reminder:

He gives beauty for ashes Strength for fear Gladness for mourning Peace for despair

Redemption and transformation weave their way through much of the project. The opening song, "Beauty Of The Cross," talks of the wholeness Christ bought with His death:

The beauty of the cross Healing for the lost... Sword in your side, You did it all for me You paid the cost That's the beauty of the cross

And the album's two covers, "In Return" (The Winans) and "Over Me" (Lone Justice) point to the joy and freedom found in a relationship with Jesus. From beginning to end, it is apparent that Lewis' objective is to share the hope she's found in God.

On this album, Lewis' voice is strong, clear, and resonant. Her themes are edifying and inspirational. The only detractor to her project is the accompaniment which tends towards the syrupy and trite. However, there are enough moments in which she finds a groove and simply soars to make Beauty For Ashes a solid effort.