New Music Reviews: Late-October Releases

by | Oct 26, 2019 | CD Reviews, Reviews

Click HERE to enjoy both of these albums and more October 2019 releases for free on YouTube Music.


In 2009, the Gaither Vocal Band released a 2-volume project titled Reunion, which included most of the group’s former members dating back to their formation in 1980. Ten years later, Reunion Live is a similar venture with the key distinction being an arena-sized audience in Greenville, SC (vs. the studio setting of the 2009 release). There are 18-tracks on Reunion Live.

This review is based on the streaming version available through YouTube Music plus the 49-minute YouTube preview available HERE. One curious item to note is the YouTube preview graphic keeps showing “Part One” under the title, implying a “Part Two” is coming later, but for the moment, there’s just a single volume (available in DVD and CD) on the market.

Pros: The live concert setting helps set this reunion recording apart from the 2009 release. Gaither ad libs comments during “He Touched Me,” for example, and you can hear the crowd react. The inclusion of “Chain Breaker” (which wasn’t written in 2009) gives this recording another distinctive wrinkle. Some former members aren’t highlighted with solos, and that may be odd to include in the “pros” section, but it’s because the more popular former members (Phelps, Penrod, English) get multiple features. The singers more people want to hear more are heard more.

Cons: Placing two individuals out front on vocals who have never been pictured on the front of a GVB album for a release titled Reunion Live doesn’t mesh with the concept. It’s also too bad that out of all the songs introduced to the GVB’s audience since they became a 5-man group in 2009, only one (“Chain Breaker”) made the cut for Reunion Live. At the very least, I expected the former number-one song, “Greatly Blessed, Highly Favored,” to get the nod.

Label: Gaither Music Group
Song Titles: Alpha And Omega; Passin’ The Faith Along; He Touched Me; Give Up; The Baptism Of Jesse Taylor; Give It Away; Chain Breaker; Let Freedom Ring; O Love That Will Not Let Me Go; Nessun Dorma; These Are They; Amen; Sinner Saved By Grace; Make It Real/I Believe, Help Thou My Unbelief; In That Great Gettin’ Up Mornin’; The Trumpet Of Jesus; I Bowed On My Knees; Because He Lives
Rating: 4 Stars (scale of 1-5 Stars)
Release Date: October 25, 2019
Version Reviewed: YouTube Music


Keep Movin’ Along is a 7-song EP by the Perrys, their first recording since 2017’s Testament (the final recording to feature Tracey Stuffle who passed away in 2018).

Pros: “Walk Me Through” is another great feature for Libbi Perry Stuffle in a long line of great Libbi songs. “Take You To The Cross” is a powerful ballad that should become Andrew Goldman’s signature, career-defining song. Time will tell. I love hearing the Perrys sing songs like the title track.

Cons: Given the fact that it’s been 2 years since the last Perrys CD was released, it’s a rather short-sighted decision on the part of Stow Town Records to limit Keep Movin’ Along to just 7 songs.

Label: Stow Town Records
Song Titles: It Never Gets Old; Walk Me Through; Take You To The Cross; That’s How You Know; Tailor Made; Never A Time; Keep Movin’ Along
Rating: 4 Stars (scale of 1-5 Stars)
Release Date: October 25, 2019
Version Reviewed: YouTube Music


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David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray is a church music director in Ellenboro, NC. He is the author of Murray's Encyclopedia Of Southern Gospel Music and the owner of both SGHistory.com and MusicScribe.com.

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