A Son of My Own is a heartstring puller for any parent, full of tenderness and awe. It brings God's sacrifice out of the abstract, focusing our hearts on the great gift. If we're truthful, we echo Kent's words, "I've seen how much it cost You, and I know that I could never love the world like You do, Lord." The strings really fatten up this arrangement quite well.
There are a lot of potential hits on this album, but the most radio-friendly is Ever Been Here, a modern-country song that could be a crossover hit in more than one market. Both the vocal and the instrumentation have a bit of a heavier edge to them, fitting perfectly with the lyrics. Kent has an ability to put into word those emotions that most Christians feel, but don't always acknowledge. We hear again the fantastic guitars, mixed back far enough to complement rather than compete with the lead vocal. This is one of the most heavily produced tracks, and it's done to perfection.
The tempo slows back down for Dreamin', Bottenfield's testimonial of sorts. It's a very moving and joyful song with a somber undertone. This man is serious about his faith, and that comes through in his music. Almost an extension of the previous song is You Believe. Put on a sweater because Home to Beauty will give you chills. Kent has such an honesty in his music that you feel you're right there along with him. I believe he really DOES take his family before the Throne every day. This is a beautiful song; it's not made for radio, but it probably causes a flood of tears in concert.
Get your hands clapping with I Seek Your Face, a rhythmic delight for the senses. The percussion shows a lot of foresight and depth, but it again doesn't overpower the excellent vocal. Another above-the-norm hook shows the intelligence of the songwriters, grabbing you with something simple yet addictive.
Many country singers struggle with pitch, but Kent is flawless throughout the album. That's most evident here on the tender, longing I'll Be Free. Close your eyes in Communion with the Lord. This is a song to be savored and enjoyed. He resists the urge to convert this to a pop song, keeping the tempo worshipful and focused upward. 76th Street is the most traditionally country song on the album, but instead of the usual broken and achy heart, it's a story of love fulfilled and passed from generation to generation. Kent describes it as a place we all want to be. Like the rest of the album, it has a hook and Bob Seger Silver Bullet Band-like musicianship behind his vocal.
Track 15 has four minutes of spoken word which is a shock to your musical senses. This song may have been better served on a future live project. The majority of his audience for this CD is the church, but lets hope some CDs will be sold to baseball fans and those who need to hear His word. Kent preaches the Gospel straight up and basic. We know it doesn't go out void. My fear is many listeners will turn it off the CD on this track and by doing that, they'll be missing the last cut on the album, Psalm 61. That's their great loss.
The album closes with Kent's rendition of Psalm 61. David may have written the words, but I'm sure he would've been pleased with this version. It begins with a Gregorian-like chant setting up for a clear and largely unadorned vocal. It's a great closer, reminding us that He is our strength.
Back in the Game stands out for its sheer and honest adoration, excellent production, and Kent's knack for hooks. This CD has many different possibilities for distribution due to the definite radio tracks, across different genres, but it's nothing less than we would expect from a man who's batting clean up now. |
