Elementary

Contains an untitled hidden track after "I Love You".
Personnel includes: Cindy Morgan (vocals, piano, electric piano); Tom
Howard (arranger, conductor); Chris Rodriguez (electric guitar, background vocals); Andrew Ramsey, Drew Ramsey (electric guitar); Tim Lauer (mandolin, harmonica, accordion); David Davidson (violin); The Media Mix Strings (strings); Mark Douthit (flute, alto & tenor saxophones); Denis Solee (clarinet); Mike Haynes, George Tidwell (trumpet); Brent Bourgeois (piano, keyboards, background vocals); Jeff Roach (keyboads, programming); Larry
Tagg (bass); Viktor Krausse (upright bass); Jim White (drums, percussion, loops); Raymond Boyd (drums); Eric Darken (percussion); Pete Kipley, Alex Alzamora (programming); Sunshine Choir (background vocals).
Recorded at Dark Horse and Sound Kitchen Studios, Franklin, Tennessee.
Digitally remastered using HDCD technology.
This veteran CCM singer sets herself apart from her genre's popular counterparts Rebecca St. James, Erin O'Donnell, and Jaci Velasquez by writing her own tunes, and most convey the positive heavenly message with strong (sometimes anthemic) hooks. But both the greatest strength and weakness of this disc are the creative production touches of Brent Bourgeois. He turns "The World Needs Your Love" into a powerful, symphonic rock statement; the one drawback to the powerful energy of the tune is the way Cindy Morgan's voice sometimes gets lost in all the shenanigans. "Good Thing" takes modern production techniques and mixes them with a disco groove on the chorus, almost creating an Abba-like effect. Busy sonic ideas also infuse the title track and the Latin rock-flavored "New World," and Morgan's voice again is either distorted or blends too tightly with the wall of sound. Fortunately, Bourgeois pulls back for ballads like "Love Can," which allow Morgan's soft and truly spiritual side to shine through; her vocal grows more passionate as she goes along. Strange how she could follow this kind of vocal performance with a much more forgettable airy vocal approach on "Believe." "Sunshine" finds her doing her best Amy Grant imitation. Overall, certainly a bit more interesting sonically than the usual female CCM outing, but that intrigue also leads to some maddening listening moments. ~ Jonathan Widran