Customer Reviews

Brother's Keeper

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I own all the Rich Mullins albums and always have one in my CD case. What I try to do is go through them one at a time, swapping them out in chronological order. "Brother's Keeper" doesn't last longer than a couple days.

Why? Not because of Rich's voice or lyrics -- both are his usual high caliber. It's the music -- the tone has shifted to a boring, half-asleep shuffle. Listen to the percussion on almost any track: it's so straightforward, laying down a basic downbeat, that I can't help but wonder if the drummer was bored (exceptions: "Cry the Name" and maybe "Promenade"). Contrast this with any of the tracks from "A Liturgy, Legacy..." and you'll hear it.

"Brother's Keeper" is also a shift in that it is heavily country-inflected; the Celtic and gospel sensibilities heavily present in Rich's music before this album are not readily in evidence. This is not necessarily a problem -- look at Mark Knopfler's very successful shift to a country sound -- the problem is that the country aura of this album sounds lazy and uninspired.

One has to wonder if the change in producers is the reason -- Reed Arvin has been replaced by Rick Elias, Mullins himself, and some others from the band. I have no information on the change; if you do, I'd love to hear it (send it to me). I do know that when I listen to the "Jesus Record", I only listen to the demos CD. Rich's natural rhythm comes through -- it pulses vibrantly on every song. When I listen to the interpretations by Rick Elias and the band (and produced by Rick Elias), I hear that same depressed beat and sluggish sound.

The one song I do like the music on is the Dylan-esque country/blues "Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil". It's tongue-in-cheek lyrics is wonderfully set to backwoods blues; it's quite funky and a wonderful departure.

Hey, it's Rich Mullins singing his unique style of heartfelt devotional poetry -- and that's all good. The love and goodness of God are still wide open and faith is still a complex struggle of the heart and will. But I just don't find the music as compelling as the words, like I did before.

Rich Mullins did it again in recording this album. No other Christian songwriter has combined the sense of honesty and poignancy that Rich was able to provoke in his listeners. "Brother's Keeper" is yet another example of his imaginative and stirring songwriting, as well as his beautifully plain voice.

From the opening track to "Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil", Rich sings songs about sins, our failings and hypocrisy, and the grace of God, so wonderfully done that one doesn't notice the opening of one's own heart as a result of the music. I highly recommend this album to anyone looking for good Christian music that is not fluffy, overproduced, or theologically bankrupt -- Rich was none of those things, and his music is missed badly these days.

Rich Mullins was Christianity's piano-pop sage, goof-off and resident Franciscan poet. Sentimental eulogies aside, Mullins was one of the most important figures in Contemporary Christian Music of the last 25 years. His songwriting, both thoughtful and unpretentious, was always delivered with a kind of unvarnished honesty that set him worlds apart from his contemporaries. This was never more clear than in Rich's live shows, where usually with nothing more than a piano, a hammer dulcimer and faithful sidekick Beaker, he would open up that heart full of wonder and earth-weary loneliness and invite listeners to join him.

Over the years, my biggest gripe was that Rich's over-produced studio albums seemed to belie the homespun presentation of the shows-- where his songs clearly shined. Although his biggest selling studio albums contained some amazing music, Reed Arvin's often schmaltzy production and CCM radio-friendly gloss seemed to badly date most of his early work. That is one reason why Brothers Keeper is Rich Mullins' best album.

Leaving behind the synths and pop stylizations of

Brother's Keeper is a great album. If I had a top ten albums of all time list, this CD would surely be included. Rich Mullins really expresses his heart on this album...and its the heart of a Ragamuffin.

I love all the songs on this album. Each one drips with worship, praise, love, and the hallmark of the Ragamuffin soul...the need for and expression of Grace.

All these songs express something of the love of God and the Ragamuffin's natural response of love for others. All the songs point straight to God and his love, righteousness, beauty, and kingdom-from following the example of Jesus' love and patience in the title track, to the message of God's unfolding kingdom in "Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil." Each song expresses something about God in wonderfully unique ways.

Two of my favorite tracks are: "Hatching of a Heart"-a song that speaks about the tender care God shows to his children as they move and grow through this life, and "Cry the Name"-a beautiful expression of Colossians 3:2 (Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.)

This music is both beautiful and moving as well as meaningful. Every song...not just some.

I could go on and on about this album because I love it. It has helped me to draw nearer and nearer to the Father. It points the way (at least for me) to God's revealed word. Rich Mullins' writing is steeped in Biblical truths. Worship and love flow from this disc...

As I just said, I could go on...but I won't. In these few short lines I've written, I've come to realize how unequipped I am to describe this album. It is beyond me. All the same, I urge you to get a copy right now. It'll be beyond you too. But in a good way...I promise.

A truly heart-felt collage of masterful songs by a genius who loved Jesus more than anything else. The songs on this album will become a part of the listener's heart , "Cry the Name", "Wounds of Love", "Promenade", "Brother's Keeper", and "Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil" are my favorites from this cd. Whoever listens to it with find rich lyrics and virtuoso musicianship.

I continue to miss Rich Mullins...

"Let Mercy Lead", the second track, has to be one of Rich's finest songs of all time.

I have all of Rich's work on CD, except the soundtrack of "Canticle". If you are only buying one Rich Mullins' CD today, Brother's Keeper wouldn't be the first one I would recommend you get, but do get it! If you only are going to buy 5 or 6 of Rich's CDs, include this one!

I'm trying to think of something negative to say to balance all the positive, but I'm afraid I cannot. This was my first introduction to Rich Mullins's music, aside from a few individual songs sung in church. Rich truly challenges many of the weak points of the church today in these song. He challenges judgmentalism (Brother's Keeper), legalism (Promenade), and focuses on the responsibilities of the Christian (Let Mercy Lead, Brother's Keeper), as well as providing interesting Biblical accounts (Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil, Damascus Road). BUY IT NOW, but only if you are willing to think and be challenged.

Much like "Winds Of Heaven, Stuff Of Earth" Rich's first album from '88, at which after sending a in a demo tape of songs he was trying to sell the rights too, Reunion Records called him and let him know they liked the album and wanted to release it "ALL 10 SONGS AS IS" which had never been don't before in music, so he sent them the reels and they released it, with out a single change to the original demo mix, with that said not all of the songs on "Brother's Keeper" are demos, but many were and that is really saying something about a TRUE MUSICIAN when he can nail it on the first try, even if it does sometimes sound a little basic in the music it is at this point that Mullins showed the world he not was but IS the World's Greatest Christian Lyricist since David him self.

"Well the night was cold and my heart was hidden very safely in a shell but I knew somehow I'd have to run that risk, have to open up myself, but you said: Look at the stars on the face of the sky, they're the same ones Abraham saw. Come under my wings I will make you shine, give you strength enough to love." -Rich Mullins, "Hatching of a Heart"

Rich Mullins is among the greatest songwriters the world has ever seen...period. Brother's Keeper is just one more example of this.

Rich's Brother's Keeper wraps the listener in thoughtful contemplation. For the Christian, the Lord speaks. For the Non-Christian, the Lord speaks.