Kim Hill

Item: The Fire Again
Author: Vanessa Crooks

The Fire Again

(1997)

Reviewed by Vanessa Crooks

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Label Star Song RecordsThe LighthouseNovember 1997

folk rock soul worship

Scripture reveals that one facet of God's character is the "refining fire," which strips away our worldliness and fallenness, and purifies us into His holy and righteous image. During her three-year hiatus from recording, it is evident that God has been moving in such a manner in Kim Hill's life. By her own admission, Hill feels that, until now, she had missed her true calling-"to worship the Lord, and to use my gifts to help bring others into His presence." Her new album, The Fire Again, stokes the embers of that calling, utilizing her undeniable vocal ability to worship God.

Musically, this project is a decided and refreshing change from the slick country-pop of her last outing and the edgy folk-rock of her early work (Let's Talk About Life and Brave Heart). Lean orchestration and arrangement mark a return to vocally-driven songs. Hill's first project with producer David Kershenbaum (Tracy Chapman, Bryan Adams, Patty Cabrera, Linnae Reeves) coalesces a considerable number of musical styles. Overall, Kershenbaum and Hill present a consonant blend of genres, from gentle ballads to soulful, rhythm-driven blues, acoustic groove, rock, and even a slight Latin touch. Yes, there are glimpses of her previous musical styles also surfacing from time to time (most notably on the tracks "More" and "Ruthless Perfection"). While acoustic piano and guitar form the foundation of the album, strings are also tastefully employed (a major feat in and of itself), and the accompanying instrumentation is diverse (Irish basouki, accordion, dulcimer, and dobro). Indeed, each song on the album has its own personality; nevertheless, there is an underlying continuity which flows from the project's praise-centered theme.

Unquestionably, The Fire Again is designed for personal worship, and as a result, its lyrics focus on intimacy in relationship with God. Hill almost entirely eschews story or parable songs-which had been her trademark-to concentrate on simpler, more directly inspirational images. These choices allow her dusky and distinct alto to come to the fore as never before. A handful of singers-such as Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, and Wynonna Judd-have been able to successfully use that little growl in their throat to bridge a variety of musical genres; and clearly Kim Hill joins their select company with The Fire Again. She sings the opening cut, "Nothing But The Blood Medley," as if it were an old Memphis soul ballad refitted with sparse, acoustic guitar arrangements. When she testifies, "Not for sin could I atone/Nothing but the blood of Jesus," the aching twang in her voice makes it sound as if her heart has been dragged across the parking lot-talk about an awareness of God's unmerited grace.

In the same vein is another blistering romp, "Ruthless Perfection," which teeters on the fences between soul, pop, and country. Against a simple backdrop of acoustic and electric guitar, organ, and an interesting percussion section (taos drums, shaker, and congas), Hill confesses,

Is it any wonder, is it any guess How He will respond to the one who answers yes I will yield to Your love and Your correction In mercy severe He will work His ruthless perfection

as if she were at last free enough to say such things out loud.

Another outstanding cut, is Kathy Etheridge Wright's "Slip Away"-Hill's interpretation is emotionally transparent. This declaration of desire to be in the presence of "the Lover of my soul" demands that Hill's singing convey passion and sincerity; and she delivers both feelings in potent doses, uniquely balancing an understated whisper with a harder edge to indicate the fervency of her cry. Truly, Kim Hill's contemplative new direction has generated eminently satisfying results.

It's impossible to forecast the next trend in contemporary Christian music. Things seem in transition at the moment; but in Kim Hill's case, this doesn't matter. We can only hope that her magnificent return might-just might-point the industry towards a more authentic and worship-centered next step. As God tells us, the only reason He puts us "in the fire again" is so our faith will shine like pure gold. For Kim Hill, the radiance of her faith is abundantly evident in the musical and lyrical direction of The Fire Again.