My Savior – Carrie Underwood
****

My Savior is the long awaited first gospel album by seven-time Grammy winner, country artist superstar Carrie Underwood, and her eighth studio album overall. The album, a companion to her 2020 Christmas album My Gift, features thirteen gospel hymns that Underwood grew up singing in a very small Free Will Baptist church in her hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma. I believe that this album of hymns may have the same long-lasting impact of fellow country artist Alan Jackson’s hymns projects.

Underwood sticks to traditional arrangement on these hymns, which I appreciate, beginning with a harmonica driven instrumental version of “Jesus Loves Me”. CeCe Winans joins her on “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, Bear Rinehart of NEEDTOBREATHE provides backing vocals on “Nothing But The Blood of Jesus” and Buddy Greene plays harmonica on the opening instrumental “Jesus Loves Me”, “Blessed Assurance” and “Amazing Grace”. Underwood co-produced the album with David Garcia.

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• More of this review and a review of Feared by Hell by Social Club Misfits
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I really enjoyed this album of traditional hymns, featuring Underwood’s powerful voice. Highlights for me included the harmonica from Buddy Greene on the instrumental opener “Jesus Loves Me”, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, an upbeat country version of “Victory in Jesus”, “How Great Thou Art”, and a powerful “The Old Rugged Cross”.

Here is the complete song listing for the album.

Jesus Loves Me
Nothing But The Blood of Jesus
Blessed Assurance
Just As I Am
Victory in Jesus
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
O How I Love Jesus
How Great Thou Art
Because He Lives
The Old Rugged Cross
I Surrender All
Softly and Tenderly
Amazing Grace

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Feared by Hell – Social Club Misfits
***

Shortly after the release of Feared by Hell, Social Club Misfits (Fern and Marty), won the Dove Award for Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year for Mood//Doom, which had actually been released as two separate EPs during 2019. Feared by Hell, a strong album, features a number of guest artists and musical genres, such as Latin, Contemporary Christian and Hip-Hop. Themes on the album include Jesus, family, being yourself, trust in God, fun and the love of a wife.
Below are a few comments about each song:
Act of God – This song was written by Fern, nobigdyl., and Marty. It was produced by DJ Pez, Dirty Rice and Marty and features nobigdyl. This mid-tempo song about thankfulness recognizes that God has brought him through so much, and he doesn’t deserve it.
Key lyric:
Looking at my life, it’s an act of God
Never thought I would make it this far

Is That Okay? – This song was written by Marty and Fern and produced by Jimmy James and Marty. The song features an infectious beat, with keys, bass, percussion, hand-claps, horns, and some excellent guitar. The song has a good message about being yourself. Being different is a superpower. He’s always being himself, and has no time to be anyone else, and God blesses him for who he is.
Key lyric:
I know I’ll never be picture perfect
But can I be myself, is that okay?

Conmigo – This love song was written by Fern, Marty and Jay Kalyl. It was produced by Sam Ash. The song features Kalyl and Ash. Some of this song is sung in Spanish. The title translates to “With Me” in English.

To the Top – This song was written by Fern, Foure and Marty and was produced by Juice Bangers and Dirty Rice. The song features 1K Phew.  The song features an excellent beat driven by bass and percussion. The only direction is up. Every day they are making history.
Key lyric:
When there was nowhere to go
You redirected my feet

God on My Side – This song was written by Ty Brasel, Fern and Marty. It was produced by Juice Bangers and Marty, and features Ty Brasel. The song about trust in God, features a mid-tempo beat, with bass, percussion and hand-claps.
Key lyric:
Yeah, I know who to call when I need help

Savior – This song was written by Fern and Marty and produced by Tommee Profitt. This prayer about Jesus being Savior, and His life for ours being the payoff, features Jeremy Camp. The song features acoustic guitar, drums, bass, backing vocals, hand-claps.
Key lyric:
Eternally grateful
When I needed you most, you came through

Luau – This song was written by Fern and Marty and produced by Marty. The song features Hulvey. This song has an easy-going beat, featuring guitar, bass, and percussion. The song is about a summer day hanging with friends by the pool.
Key lyric:
Go and call your friends, I hope summer never ends

Night Glow – This song was written by Marty and produced by Ray Rock. This easy-going song has a beat driven by drums and bass. His faith was tested, but he never wavered. His only friend was Jesus, the night glow when he didn’t have hope.
Key lyric:
You look inside
My God lives there
I might fall down
But can’t stay there

Young Gunz – This song was written by Fern, Evan Craft and Marty. It was produced by Sam Ash and Juice Bangers and features DAViES.  The song features an infectious chorus sung by DAViES, as well as guitar, keys, hand-clap and percussion. The song is about Social Club Misfits being young gunz, who have a fire in their soul, are running wild lifting Jesus high.
Key lyric:
Every L I took, that’s a lesson that I needed
And every time I win, I give them something to believe in
One day we gon’ look back and say that it was Jesus

I Need You – This love song was written by Fern and Marty and produced by Marty. The song features a dance beat, with bass, percussion and keys.

Somos Familia – This song about always being able to count on family was written by Andy Alemany, Sam Ash, Evan Craft and Marty. It was produced by Ash and features Blanca.  Some of the song is sung in Spanish. The song’s title in English means “We are Family”. The upbeat song features guitar and drums.
Key lyric:
My Lord, I just wanna tell the world looking for remedies
None of it will work unless love is inside the recipe

Without You – This song was written by Fern, Marty and Colby Wedgeworth. It was produced by Dirty Rice and features Riley Clemmons. The up-tempo song features bass and percussion. God is the anchor of his life. He’s lived too many days far from God. There’s no way he’s ever going back to that life.
Key lyric:
Without You
I’m just a house of cards ’bout to fall down

Best songs:
Act of God
Is That Okay?
Savior
Young Gunz
Without You

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• Victory in Jesus. Watch Carrie Underwood perform “Victory in Jesus” on the Today
• Good God Almighty. Watch the live performance of “Good God Almighty” by Crowder at Passion 2021 and featuring Maverick City Choir.

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He Is by Crowder
This week’s song of the week is “He Is”, the latest song from Crowder, which will be included on his new album Milk & Honey, to be released June 11. The song is written by Crowder, Hank Bentley and Jeff Pardo. You can listen to the song here.

[Verse 1]
If you’re troubled, heavy-hearted
Come to Jesus and find your peace
If you’re run down, empty-handed
Come to Jesus and find your strength
[Chorus]
He is hope for the hopeless, rest for the weary
Help for the hurting, He is, He is
Mending the broken, bearing the burdens
All that you’re needing, He is
[Verse 2]
If you’re wandering in the darkness
Come to Jesus and find your way
If you want freedom, need forgiveness
Just come to Jesus and find His grace
[Bridge]
Comforter, Counselor, Prince of Peace
Author and Maker of everything
Defender, Deliverer, King of kings
He is, He is
Helper and Healer forevermore
Savior and Shelter through every storm
My Refuge, Redeemer and Lord of lords
He is, He is
Child of Heaven and Son of Man
Provider, Protector the great I AM
Alpha Omega, Beginning and End
He Is, He Is