Gaither Vocal Band

Item: Lovin' God & Lovin' Each Other
Author: David Murray

Lovin' God & Lovin' Each Other

(1997)

Reviewed by David Murray

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Label Spring HillThe LighthouseDecember 1997

ccm country southern gospel

Lovin' God & Lovin' Each Other offers thirteen cuts of the smooth harmony and exciting arrangements we've come to expect from the Gaither Vocal Band. Five of the tunes were previously released on the live album, Back Home In Indiana, but each of those songs is more polished here and the distracting applause is gone. Over a year's worth of planning, recording, and final song selection went into this project.

There are few (if any) musical surprises. "Singin' With The Saints" and "Promises One By One" have a driving modern country treatment. "I'll Tell It Wherever I Go" has a nostalgic light jazz feel with a string section and brushes on the snare drum. "In That Great Gettin' Up Morning" is a cappella with percussion accompaniment. But the title cut, "I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary," "At The Cross," and "I'll Worship Only At The Feet Of Jesus" are all in the slow, dramatic inspirational style that has successfully garnered the Gaither Vocal Band substantial airplay, sales and acclaim in the past with tunes like "The King Is Coming" and "Count On Me." The band has learned, as with Coca-Cola, some formulas are better left alone.

With thirteen tunes, Lovin' God & Lovin' Each Other is a satisfying mix of new songs and standards. "Palms Of Victory," "Happy Rhythm," and the hymn "At The Cross" have all been Gaither-ized. "Happy Rhythm" is somewhat slower than tradition has dictated previously, and sounds fresh as a result.

A bit of Mark Lowry/Bill Gaither humor comes through on "Songs That Answer Questions." The song is whimsical, talking of the need to be a true witness rather than writing "songs that answer questions that nobody's even asking anyhow." It stresses each Christian's place in the body of Christ, and Mark Lowry's line is "I'm the chin," followed by Bill Gaither's line, "and I'm the nose."

Lovin' God & Lovin' Each Other should delight recent Gaither Vocal Band fans while somewhat appeasing older fans who preferred the Michael English pop/inspirational era. It's also nice to see them giving the listener nearly 50 minutes of music on this release. You feel you're getting your money's worth.