Customer Reviews

Elementary

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Cindy Morgan is one of those artists that continues to amaze me with every album she records. Hands down, one of the best songwriters in the industry (she's written for Rachael Lampa, Michael English, Sandi Patty, and Michelle Tumes to name a few), she manages to touch on issues such as fear, pain, and human insecurity that no one else really has the guts to tackle. However, with her latest album, we see a different Cindy. We see a joyful, happy and "glad to be alive" Cindy. Honestly, when I first heard that the album was going to be much lighter, and not so serious, I was very disappointed. Listen and The Loving Kind were absolute masterpieces and were very dark albums. However, upon listening to the album, I remembered why Cindy Morgan is one of the most respected artists in the industry. She managed to sing these fluffy songs without the fluff that one might expect. She wrote these fluffy songs with as much anti-fluff as possible. Songs like "Sunshine", "Happy", "Good Thing" and "I Love You" come off as being lyrical masterpeices, despite their subject matter. Cindy is also heavily experimenting with some different sounds on this album, which she co-produced with Brent Bourgeois. Did I mention that? She covers sounds from piano based pop ("The World Needs Your Love") to 1960's lounge music ("Believe") to 1970's latin infused pop ("New World") to jazz ("Love is Waiting") to modern pop/electronica ("Good Thing") and even 1920's flapper music ("I Love You"). What's so funny is that Cindy pulls them all off with such ease and clarity. Fans of her stark piano ballads shouldn't get too upset, "Love Can" and "In These Rooms" are truly Cindy and probably the best songs on the album. I applaud Word Records for letting Cindy take such risks and allowing her to create probably the best album I've heard all year, and trust me, I've heard a lot of music this year.

Cindy Morgan never ceases to amaze me! I would say that this album is the best, but, then again, every album of hers is the best. 'Elementary' proves, yet again, that Ms. Morgan is not about conforming or even about pop culture. All she knows is her music and her heart, and she delivers a little bit more of both with each new recording. As the wise man once said, she really is "a breath of fresh air". In a day when so much of the music sounds like mass production off of a conveyor belt, 'Elementary' has reminded me of what music really is. Every song on this album is completely original, and like nothing I've ever heard before. She's taken music to realms I didn't even know existed. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful!

After her disappointing "Best So Far" album that included too many earlier works, this new album seems to blend the sounds from her last two studio albums into a unique sounding collection. Different, yet the same. The same piano driven sound is there but there is more orchestation behind the tracks, from the Latin tinged sounds of "New World" to string and jazzy/bluesy brass arrangements on many of the tracks. I liked Brent Bourgeois's liner comment thanking Cindy for "a much needed breath of fresh air". Cindy is trying a lot of different sounds and styles and having a lot of fun here. More "pop" sounding than "Loving Kind", yet not as edgy as "Listen" and more mellow and upbeat, it shows Cindy Morgan as she continues to mature as a songwriter and a vocalist. Not as strong overall as "Listen" it still stands out amongst much of CCM pop which often seems to sound the same.

Cindy Morgan is one of the finest and truest artists in Christian music. But behind her artistry always lurked a sense of something sad. Her recent book, BAREFOOT ON BARBED WIRE, revealed to the world that that something was a struggle with fear. Thankfully, she has been able to work through that by the grace of God and this new beginning, along with the arrival of a new baby girl, means that there is much to celebrate in her life right now.

The new album reflecting that is ELEMENTARY. The album resembles her 1996 album, LISTEN, on the surface, with it's arrangements, live instruments, and piano-based foundation. But there's more to it than that, and a closer look shows that Cindy really stretched herself musically on this one. The first single, "Good Thing," flirts with electronica, and the results are splendidly different. A few of the tracks have a popish-lounge feel to them. But the best chances taken come near the end of the album, as Cindy unveils a surprising affection jazz. "Love Is Waiting" and "I Love You" both would fit perfectly into the background of any Starbucks franchise with their laid-back, clarinet-infused, grooves, and they are some of the albums best moments.

Lyrically, Elementary is the brightest and surest album that Cindy has ever recorded. Lyrics such as "Take a ride / take a long holiday / from the fear / that's been keeping you at bay" ("Believe") reflect her new outlook. But other than brief excursions into different subjects such as eschatology ("End of the World"), Elementary is basically an album of encouragement, celebration, and reflections on love, perhaps best summarized in the line "life is sweet, sweet and good / don't you think, that we should / drink it deep" ("Sunshine"). Perhaps, make that drink a "Grape Soda," if you've got one.

This is a fantastic album. Different, in the best of ways, but still pop and still Cindy Morgan. Her long time fans should embrace it wholeheartedly (after, perhaps, a listen or two), and those new to her music should be more than pleasantly surprised. FIVE STARS.

Like the other reviewer says: If you like her work and her past recordings---you will like this! I agree with that statement and this recording will stay in my collection for sometime and be played often as well. Go get yourself this recording and see what we mean!!! You will not be sorry!!!

World class tracks from a world class artist - with help from a world class producer (Brent Bourgeois)! Cindy Morgan is THE best Christian female singer/artist out there right now. Her lyrics and songwriting skills are inspired, and reach deep into the listener's heart and soul. She is wise beyond her years and her music reflects her journey, and invites us to join with her on the walk. We all can relate, in some way or another, to what she writes about. And that is truly a gift. Cindy has done it again - what she first started on the absolutely stellar release "Listen", she has continued on with "Elementary". Her voice is flawless, yet points to her Creator's glory - not hers. Great job!

Cindy Morgan is my favorite artist. I like all music but Cindy has the absolute best voice. I hope Christian music never loses her to the "big lights". I am not sure what she was trying to do on this album but it just didn't seem to me to have a "smooth flow" and I am not sure why she seemed to be trying to sound like others (in my opinion). She is still the best, get the album, I'll be waiting in line to buy the next one too.

Cindy Morgan has created another amazing album. This album may be her best yet. Cindy has created an album which has a fun fresh sound which remins one of Christ's great love and the amazing world that he has created for us to enjoy.

My friend introduced me to Cindy Morgan and all I can say is that I love this CD! Cindy's got such a soothing voice. I love listening to this CD on my way home in the Dallas rush hour traffic and it calms me down and is so very fun to listen to and sing along with.

If you enjoy Cindy's work you must have this one in your collection.