Customer Reviews

Always Hear the Harmony: Gospel Sessions

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4 star:		(0)
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2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Engelbert Humperdinck has always been a favorite of mine, but I must admit I haven't followed his latest releases not being a fan of techno pop. Since this CD was receiving rave reviews from all the gospel and country and folk music fans, I thought I'd give this international singer a try in the year 2003. Wow, what a revelation! Wow, what an album! It's like Engelbert Humperdinck has been reborn as a gospel and a folk singer. This will likely be a definitive album in his career, a turning point to making CDs that stand the test of time and become classics. "Always Hear The Harmony" is as good as any album I've ever heard in country gospel, including of course Elvis, Ernie Ford, Statlers, Oaks, and so forth. It may even be better! How these guys and Engelbert came up with this sound where you feel like you are actually there soaking in the textures of the singers and the musicians. Where a lot of pop star albums are over-produced and all-synthesized-up, this CD is the real thing. The CD booklet says this fantastic sound was recorded in Texas and at Sun Studios in Memphis. Maybe this partially accounts for the exciting, organic stuff we hear here. Fans who pick this CD up early on may be the very firsts to latch onto a phenomenum like the original Sun sound and like the Stax sound and like the Muscle Shoals sound. Engelbert and his producers have created magic with this CD and have something that will live forever. Engelbert's voice is powerful, almost raspy, almost crying out. It's like he and the gospel singers are singing these songs just for God. I heard from an Englebert fan site that this album was being considered for major international music and fan awards. This album deserves every award it gets. It's Engelbert Humperdinck, it's his friends on this album The Jordanaires, The Blackwood Brothers quartet, The Light Crust Doughboys, all coming together for one of those rare recordings that grab at your heartstrings. Let everybody say, AMEN! Can't wait to hear Engelbert sing some of these songs on TV or in the movies. God Bless This CD!

JUST RECEIVED MY CD AND MUST TELL THE READERS THAT IT IS ONE OF THE BEST CD THAT ENGELBERT HAS EVER DONE. WE ALL KNOW THAT HIS VOICE IS A GOD GIVEN TALENT AND TO SING SONGS OF PRAISES WITH THE REKNOWN GOSPEL GROUPS IS JUST DOING IT RIGHT. IT IS SUNG SO BEAUTIFULLY THAT YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF SINGING ALONG.I JUST REALLY CANNOT CHOOSE ANY ONE SONG AS THEY ARE ALL GREAT. "AMAZING GRACE" IS ONE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS AND WHAT A THRILL TO HEAR HIM AND THE GROUP SING IT. WE ARE SO LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR HIM IN THIS MOOD. REALLY IS TERRIFIC - MY FAVORITE BY FAR!!!WHAT A TALENT HE IS AND HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO SHARE WITH HIM WHAT IS HIS. THANK YOU, ENGE!!

Hats off to Enge for this CD. It's a classic and easily the best album of his career. The arrangments and vocals are simply perfect. Enge's performances are honest and heartfelt. This is a CD that will help get you through good times and hard times. My personal favorite is Nearer My God to Thee. I can listen to that song over and over and over and each time it rings true and touches my spirit.

If you like Elvis' gospel, you'll enjoy this CD. It's a southern gospel classic that won't disappoint.

There's a maturity and depth to this recording that makes it a moving experience, with the unlikely combination of Engelbert and The Jordanaires, The Blackwood Brothers and The Light Crust Doughboys. I suspect it will be appreciated more by those who have had their spiritual battles, and have weathered the storms of life with God's grace; there's a quality in Englebert's voice (that has the occasional gravelly tone blended into his smooth sound) of someone who has experienced the ups and downs of life, and held on to his faith. It is unlike any other gospel album I've heard, and thoroughly satisfying.

There are three original songs by Art Greenhaw (who produced and arranged this recording) that are wonderful, but it's the old hymns that in these heart-felt interpretations really touch the soul. Favorites for me are "Take My Hand, Precious Lord", "It is no Secret", and "In the Sweet By and By", though all the tracks have a sincerity and emotion that makes them ring true.
The musicianship is terrific from Art Greenhaw's Light Crust Doughboys, who are famous for their Texas style of Western Swing as well as their award winning gospel CDs, and I really like the piano playing of Bill Simmons.
This CD received a Grammy nomination, and is a unique and superb entry in the gospel genre. Total playing time is 39'30.

Engelbert's golden baritone voice is so perfect for these gospel tunes and as usual Engelbert is a genius at selecting the music he records. The more you hear the more you love. I would recommend this to any music lover.

Who would've thought that the champ of many a record shop's easy listening section would create a gospel album with the soul of Mahalia Jackson? This CD, Always Hear The Harmony, cooks from first to last song, serving up American-style gospel music that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the greatest gospel music to come down the pike. It's a stroke of genius that Engelbert is singing hymns. Every female from the age of nine to ninety will want to hear this music. And what music it is: surging vocals, raw, unvarnished soul (raw for the tuxedo clad set!), and powerful. The title song, Always Hear The Harmony, has the mass appeal of a Bridge Over Troubled Water or a Sinatra My Way, just add a healthy dose of folk-country-gospel to the mix. Then it's straight to a southern convention-reading of The Old Rugged Cross and At The Cross. Engelbert wisely chooses straightforward, classic gospel arrangements for many of his hymns on this CD, letting the message of the words and Enge's soulful, pleading voice space to shine. Another stroke of genius is his production team and The Jordanaires, Blackwood Brothers Quartet, and The Light Crust Doughboys from Texas. And just when you're sure you'll never hear better goosebump-producing religious standards, Engelbert and singers deliver a sacred wedding, love song no doubt to further minister to women like me. I wouldn't be surprised if many wedding memories start being made with at least 2 new songs on this disc. I've listened to this CD with friends and family, and we all agree it's the best album of its type we've ever heard. Don't expect lukewarm pop and synthesized formula or elevator music here. This is the real thing, music to cherish the old rugged cross by, songs to sing on that beautiful shore, songs to proclaim How Great Thou Art. This first-ever gospel CD by Hump is liable to open thousand of new ears and eyes to the music of this romantic balladeer while he's opening their hearts to something and somebody bigger than you and I.

As a close follower of Engelbert's records for years and years, and as a collector of gospel music and country music and even rock and roll, I'm compelled to say this is one of the greatest productions ever, and I totally disagree with one of the previous reviewers from Brooklyn, New York who I feel doesn't have a handle or a clue concerning this masterful production. First of all, this CD is wonderfully mixed and mastered, but it's not done in the sterile style of a New York contemporary hip-hop or pop production, it's mixed and mastered in the gospel and roots style in keeping with the greatest of the historic Capitol Records and RCA Records sacred and country performances of the past. The background singers surround Engelbert in sound like the classic live recordings of the best of the sixties and fifties. There's warm reverb. Engelbert's voice in this period of his career has never sounded better----and this CD is so superior in every audio and musical way to Engelbert's CD from the same period LET THERE BE LOVE, in my humble opinion. Contrary to the Brooklyn, New York reviewer's comment, there's is absolutely no distortion on "Precious Lord". As a student of gospel and classic recordings, there's some wonderful mild overdrive on the guitar and the gospel piano, and the Engelbert vocal is just perfect! Actually, "Take My Hand Precious Lord" is my favorite song on the whole album---a production mssterpiece. I probably have experience with 5 or so copies of this HIP-O CD that I've listened to and given away as gifts, and all copies are spot-on and masterful. Engelbert's voice is just right with the echo which is natural, vintage-sounding, and a component of all Engelbert's work. I feel very strongly that completely wrong reviews like that of the New Yorker reviewer should be challenged, and I appreciate the opportunity to do so on these pages. Fans, have no fear, this is one of the greatest gospel albums ever produced, with one of the greatest and best productions ever heard, right down to all recording and mixing. The CD's Texas and Memphis, Tennessee production team should be given 5 stars at every turn for their work.They are the very best, and this masterpiece was given Grammy nominations for this work. And let's let the record and the music industry speak for itself, this CD ALWAYS HEAR THE HARMONY has earned some of the highest praise for its total production from recording and mixing to everything else---directly from the Recording Academy and Grammies themselves. Fans of Engelbert, fans of great visionary recording, fans of gospel and American music---have no doubts whatsoever that when you buy this classic, you're getting one of the top traditional gospel and country-gospel classics that has ever been released. I'm just hoping that this stays in print forever. ALWAYS HEAR THE HARMONY---just maybe the best Engelbert record album ever---just maybe the best country-style gospel album ever---just maybe the best production and recording team EVER!

I purchased this cd at a religious store about a year ago and loved it! Alas we made a big move from Penna. to Florida and I lost the Cd I searched everywhere but could not find it. Then I began searching Christian book stores etc. to no avail. Finally I tried Amazon.com never thinking that no way they would have it but lo and behold they did and I am once again able to enjoy this wonderful uplifting CD.

Danielle- The Villages,FL.

It has become a popular activity for anti-Christians to trash great works of faith, hope and power such as this one. Just take a glance at consumer reviews for the greatest gospel albums, films such as THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, and religious journalism to see venomous reviews of passion, faith-filled music or movies. Make no mistake about it, this unique, defining album by Engelbert Humperdinck is one of the greatest in-the-spirit albums of the new century. Like other great works of the Spirit, this work and the best religious films bring out the occasional crackpot reviewer with an opinion. For ALWAYS HEAR THE HARMONY, there has seldom been an album that is as perfect and delightful a blend of American folk music, Engelbert's glorious, occasionally world-weary and raspy voice, and the authentic musicians and vocal quartets. This album of classics and new classics inspires with fabulous force. It's a white-bread version of the greatest of The Golden Gate Quartet or The Blind Boys of Alabama. This album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Gospel. It should have taken the very top honors, probably limited by Grammy voters' perceptions of Engelbert as a Vegas showman. Several listens to this album place Engelbert not only as the ultimate Vegas act, but also, one of the top gospel interpreters of inspirational music of our time. Engelbert has a career in gospel music evangelism whevever he wants it, based upon the passion of this tremendous 40 minute adventure in sacred music. Let's hope the world is openminded enough to see the sacred heart of Engelbert as he is joined in excellence by the greatest gospel musicians and singers of our time: The Jordanaires, Art Greenhaw--producer-director, The Blackwoods, James Blackwood and this sound. May the other releases in this series not be far behind!

This new "Always Hear the Harmony: Gospel Sessions is GREAT!

Engelbert's rich voice is always a joy to hear, and hearing him in this way with the fabulous groups backing him up is terrific.
I just get goosebumps when I hear him sing out these Gospel songs, especially The Old Rugged Cross.
This CD is a Winner. The best of the best!
Keep entertaining us Enge, we love your singing!