At the very center of popular acceptability lies the group Glad, whose smooth harmonies have made them a mainstay for polyester-clad church audiences everywhere. Glad's baritone Jim Bullard takes a few steps away from the safety of the center towards the edge in this, his first solo project. He has recently been opening for Glad, and this project would be a nice keepsake of such a performance. It is superbly produced by Lane Smith, most noted for the accompaniment tracks he creates and sells through Christian bookstores. For the most part, the album is a soothing collection of spiritual encouragement and appreciation of God's blessings, but the more Smith lets Bullard let go, the better The Things We've Handed Down works. The rhythmic groove of "The Least That I Can Do" makes it stand out so much that a brief hidden reprise is a welcome ending to the CD. The classic rock sensibilities of "Mercy Seat" will be well-received, as will "He'll Be There," and "By and By," but rest assured Bullard does nothing to alienate his core audience of Glad fans.
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Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Shari LloydThis is the first solo effort of Jim Bullard from the group Glad. The music is similar to Glad's Color Outside the Lines or 4Him, but with a more acoustic sound. Unfortunately, it lacks the catchy hooks of 4Him's "The Ride" or Glad's "Color Outside the Lines," which makes their music so accessible. After a few listens, though, the hooks become more noticeable; they just don't keep running through…
