Reviewed by Tony Cummings

You know it’s intriguing to study the younger groups in the Southern gospel field in their efforts to update the barbershop cornball elements in SG. Sometimes these younger generations of harmonisers have turned to a black gospel quartet sound so that here, on a track like “Greater Is He”, its rasping, gasping lead vocal and bluesy arrangement could be any black quartet on Savoy or Malaco. Other times they put together a contemporary country arrangement, like on the female led “I Will Follow You”. Both work pretty well and it’s only when they plant themselves firmly into the middle of the road with a lushly orchestrated inspirational ballad like “The Cross” that this reviewer sees a musical dead end. Presumably the Crabb Family know their audience though and at least they are trying to move away from the increasingly stifling stylistic conventions of old time Southern gospel.

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