Song Reviews:
“To God Be the Glory” starts the project out relatively fast, though it does slow down once in a while to highlight the piano. Greg plays some fancy runs, but for the majority of the song stays relatively simple. One feature of this song, that doesn’t appear on every track, is a choir that accompanies the instrumentation through parts of the hymn.
“The Savior Is Waiting” is a thoughtful, slow song. The orchestration isn’t hugely complex. Soft strings and violins are the main accompaniment. The piano part isn’t that complex either. It stays pretty basic, which is fine. It’s a pretty song.
“Heaven Came Down” is a fun song that’s more “jazzy” than most of the other tracks. Again, strings, for the most part, complement the piano.
“Tis So Sweet” is another fast, fun song. It’s not as jazzy as “Heaven Came Down” though. It’s softer and more meditative.
Comments:
I’ve previewed two other albums by Greg (Seasonal Spice and Quiet Place) and this is definitely on a larger scale considering the orchestral accompaniment. This can be a good thing, and I think it makes Portraits of Hope stand out from Greg’s other projects. However it seems that every once in a while the background music drowns out the pianist. This is especially noticeable on some of the faster songs like “To God Be the Glory.” It’s not a big deal, particularly since these times are few and far between, but it is something I picked up from listening to the project.
If you like to listen to hymns in a classical style, than I’d say you’d enjoy this album more than someone that regularly listens to rock and country music. I personally would have liked to see a broader range of styles. For example, country, jazz, big ballad, Southern Gospel, and blues. A classical style can be used very effectively in certain songs, but IMO it needs to be used alongside other styles like some of the ones I mentioned above.
Besides a broader range of styles, I would have enjoyed hearing a broader range of instruments, particularly a strong brass section and perhaps a drum track.
Needless to say, this CD is much different than a regular Southern Gospel project. I won’t attempt to compare the two musical formats as they are different as night and day. When deciding whether to purchase this album, keep in mind:
- Greg is a talented pianist, and includes a small amount of fancy decorations such as fast runs, but for the most part, the music is rather simple.
- The style of the album is very classical/traditional.
If you enjoy music that is meditative and worshipful, then you should like Portraits of Hope.
Website: http://www.greghowlett.com/
Review copy provided by artist
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