Collingsworth Family - "The Answer" Review (2009 release)

The Collingsworth Family is one of my favorite Southern Gospel artists, and they certainly don't disappoint with this 2009 release.  The Answer is one of their best projects to date.  The musical quality, voice changes, song selection, and cover art are impressive.  This is certainly not a CD you will want to miss.

Phillip's voice has improved a lot since the family's earlier projects.  Even since the preceding major release, We Still Believe, his voice has matured greatly.  And of course, he sounds older, again, on September's Part of the Family CD.  Some people might think him a bit of a show-off, but I like how he uses his voice.  IMO it's better than how Brooklyn uses hers.

The musical quality seems to improve with each album.  Of course, there are good songs on the older projects, but the music seems to get more "modern" (for lack of a better word) with each new release.

Some people don't like how some of the family's songs have gotten so jazzy (or rocky or whatever you want to call it)  IMO they did go to far with "Just Another Rainy Day" from their latest CD.  But I listen to most of their fast songs, even if they are more progressive.  I know some people might be disappointed that some of the up-tempo numbers have grown so rocky, so perhaps they [the Collingsworth] should tone down a bit for future releases.

I'm pretty pleased with the ratio of fast songs to ballads.  It's 7:7 if you count "Ever Gentle, Ever Sweet," and "I Could Never Praise Him Enough" as up-tempo.

The case for this project is pretty unique.  And the graphic design looks good too.  It's better, IMO than We Still Believe and is probably more professionally designed than Part of the Family.
One thing I don't really care for (and which thankfully never made its way onto the new CD) is the instrumentals.  I don't mind so much when Kim does a piano song, but I would rather that space (at least the trumpet solos) be taken up with a song that is actually sung.

Olivia's voice had not matured greatly in time for this release.  For example, in "Oh the Thought That Jesus Loves Me" you can tell that she is younger than her siblings.  This is a very minor complaint though, and hardly worth mentioning.  I also don't care for Phil's singing.

My favorite ballad is "I Want Jesus More Than Anything."  Courtney does a great job handling the first verse, and leading on the chorus.  This sounds kind of like a song I would hear at campmeeting.  I love it.  As for the music, there's a mixture between heavy and light orchestration.

CD Rating: 5 stars
Song Selection: 5 stars
Favorite Songs: Fear Not Tomorrow, Ever Gentle Ever Sweet, Jesus Is Still the Answer, I Want Jesus More Than Anything, Bottom of the Barrel

Song List: I Shall Not Be Moved, Fear Not Tomorrow, I Could Never Praise Him Enough, When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, I Want a Principal Within, I Know, Ever Gentle Ever Sweet, Jesus Is Still the Answer, Count Your Blessings Within, Within the Reach of a Prayer, Oh the Thought That Jesus Loves Me, Bottom of the Barrel, Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Group Members: Phil, Kim, Phillip, Courtney (Metz), Brooklyn (Blair), and Oliva Collingsworth