If for some reason you have just stepped onto this planet and don't know who Dallas Holm is, allow me to give you a brief introduction. He started singing Christian music in 1970 before there was such a thing termed "contemporary Christian music." In the intervening 25 years he has recorded 30 albums. Before there was a Steven Curtis Chapman to do it, Holm was the one sweeping the Dove Awards year after year. He is also one of the first to ever have an album go "gold" (sell 500,000 copies).
The new project, Face Of Mercy, is standard Holm contemporary-based material with a little twitch here and there to give it some juice in just the right places. This is a slightly more aggressive product than his 1993 release, Completely Taken In. Producer Bill Baumgart livens up several tunes with a more rapid drum beat and some jazzy horn play. He also provides Holm with quality background vocals that offer a lush sound on most of the songs.
The 10-song collection is an even mix of mid-to-up-tempo cuts along with classic Holm ballads. The title track starts the collection with a nice upbeat tempo that carries a snappy beat, great background vocals and wonderful message of reaching the end of your efforts and seeing Jesus there. Several other songs follow the pattern of the title cut as they offer a nice mid-tempo beat for Holm to deliver a solid spiritual message. Both "Strength" and "We've Got it Made" follow this pattern. In "We've Got It Made," a smooth combination of piano and organ play carry the steady pace. In the chorus it is a solid drum beat and sassy sax play that bring the chorus to a higher level in the end. The lyrics paint a clear picture of our blessings from the Father of mercy.
On "Man From Galilee," Holm uses a Caribbean-leaning musical base to relate a story of finding that "Man From Galilee" in all circumstances of life:
When you've drifted far from shore He calms the troubled sea When He speaks the words of peace The wind and waves of life just have to go There's mercy in the touch of The Man from Galilee
While it's true that Baumgart and Holm added some spice to some of the tracks, the ballads are still what his long-time fans should expect. These radio-friendly AC tracks include, "To The Glory," "This Too Shall Pass," and the remake of his 1971 song "The Good Samaritan." These keyboard-based ballads each carry an inspiring message for today's church-messages that seek to instill confidence in us about our heavenly Father who is always looking after us.
Another ballad, "When We Worship Him," was written by Rhonda Gunn, who joins Holm for the duet. This simple, straight-forward piano-driven track gently flows while telling that despite our style or method of worship, if we will worship Him, He will meet us there:
When we worship Him With our heart and soul We can enter in Where a river flows It's a higher place Up where the spirit blows When we worship Him
Face Of Mercy is a more aggressive effort than previous works by Holm, but long-time fans shouldn't worry. Baumgart and Holm never allow anything to overcome the steady vocals and up-front messages. For others who haven't given it a listen or have been turned off by Holm's previous mellow style, Face Of Mercy could work for you. With a more updated musical tempo and quality background vocals, fans of mellow pop could be happy with it. As with all Dallas Holm projects through the years, above all else, it is the message of hope in our Christian walk that continues to take center stage.
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