ALBUM REVIEW

Craig Whittaker:
Common Ground

Craig Whittaker is part of Creative Soul’s artist development project. Kudos to its A&R rep who discovered this talent. There is a lot of promise here, both as a songwriter and performer. This project is obviously the dream of a lifetime and will bless its listeners spiritually and audibly.

Common Ground opens with an excellent track, Give Away. There's a great hook here, and lyrics that are scripturally sound. The electric guitar riff groove repeats throughout and keeps the track moving. This is a great choice for an opener: a decidedly Nashville sound, complete with strings, introducing the artist with a definitive song.

The title track has another memorable hook, and if you have a good hook you generally have a great song. The verses seem a bit crowded lyrically, but Craig has a lot of Scriptural truths to deliver. This track sometimes feels as if he's afraid he isn't going to get another chance to say the words. It's still a very good song, and the superb chorus carries it along. In the sweet spot is Until Then, a beautiful Keith Green-ish ballad. Its melody is "congregation friendly" and this could easily be picked up as a CCLI church song. Craig has a gift for hooks, and that shines here as this is a song that sticks with you after the CD has finished playing.

The highlight of Promise of a Lifetime is the instrumentation. It begins with a cool, rythmic muffled piano sound, followed by percussion and regular piano. The excellent production effectively drops back for Craig's voice on the verses, giving him center stage. This is a long song, giving the listener plenty of time for reflection on the lyrics that give hope to the lost or those in despair.

Joy Overflowing has a bit of a country pop flair. It's written a bit differently from the other tracks on this album. It's well-placed in continuity as it leads well into the finale song, a parents-only cut, A Daughter's Prayer. This song is sweet and sentimental, and if you have little girls, you'll replay it again and again. There's a charming innocence here, even before his daughter comes in (on pitch; she has her daddys pipes). If you don't shed a tear on this song, then you must be dehydrated. Prayer is a beautiful snapshot in time, and a fitting way to end the album.

“This is a debut album?” There’s a level of professionalism on Common Ground that's highly unusual for a first project. More importantly, the attention to detail reflects a commitment, understanding, and love of music itself. It's an example for all artists to strive for this level, with adoration for Him never compromised. May musical excellence such as is shown on this CD be our common ground.