Randy Stonehill - The Sky Is Falling (with three bonus tracks)
STYLE: Jesus Music RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 11619-10426 LABEL: Solid Rock SRD-686 FORMAT: CD Album RRP: £15.99
Reviewed by Mike Rimmer
Larry Norman finally got round to releasing this classic Randy Stonehill album on CD in 1994. For those who'd only previously owned the British vinyl version, there are a few treats to be encountered as Norman restores a couple of songs that weren't included on the UK version. So, this might be the first time you get to hear "Counterfeit King" which does have a different musical vibe to the rest of the album, relying on the excellent Tom Howard's keyboard contributions. "Teen King" is an excellent pastiche of The Eagles and examines the seductive power of fame and its affect on those who become famous. Norman also messes with the song order which doesn't necessarily make it better! It still opens with the excellent "One True Love" but for some reason, one of the album's weaker songs "Bad Fruit" is placed second. There are the usual Stonehill sensitive ballads "Emily" and "Jamey's Got The Blues" which are good but somehow not quite as engaging as the slower material on the previous album 'Welcome To Paradise". The bonus material includes "Postcards From The Heart" which is an early version of the song which eventually became "Letter To My Family" on the 'Between The Glory And The Flame" album. Here it has a gorgeous string arrangement and was probably left off the original album because there were already enough ballads. There's also an alternative version of one of Stonehill's best songs "King Of Hearts". The original version opened 'Welcome To Paradise'. This version is Stonehill's guitar and voice which sounds like an early outtake with slightly different lyrics from the familiar version and Norman has added a lovely string arrangement. The album closes with a live recording taken from Greenbelt '79 where Stonehill and band romp through "Good News".
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