Michigan’s Ambassadors of Good Will is a great slogan for a great group located in Michigan known as The Calvarymen. Although, once known as a quartet, they are singing together as a male trio and have put together a collection of songs that I believe that anyone who enjoys listening and worshipping with Southern Gospel music, is sure to enjoy. Although two of the three members of the group reside in Michigan, Barry Maust, the lead vocalist who serves as the main contact for the group, lives in Ohio where he works for a Christian book distributor and is also an ordained minister. The other guys in the group include, Steve Ratliff who sings the baritone part and James Burney who sings tenor. Let’s take a look at the Calvarymen and their latest recording effort, Timeless Favorites.
The recording begins with an up tempo Southern Gospel Classic, HE’S SO GOOD TO ME. I enjoy the track, it includes several instruments and the arrangement fits the style of harmony that the group has developed. I am encouraged by the “tightness” of the harmonies. The song had a great truth but a great sound as well. GIVE ME JESUS, slows things down and again, the arrangement of the song fits the group to a tee. EXCUSES, is another song on the recording but it’s hard to look at this song any other way than with the mighty Kingsmen. Regardless, it’s a fun song with an important message. LOVE GREW WHERE THE BLOOD FELL, has a great arrangement and the vocals were very convincing and convicting on this track. The gospel in song is what this particular tune is all about. ECHOES FROM THE BURNING BUSH has a great arrangement once again and the song never gets old.
I enjoyed the entire project although I didn’t mention every song. I thought the tracks were well mixed with vocals. The vocals were mixed well, nothing stood out as being too flat or too sharp. I believe that we will hear great things from the Calvarymen but it’s hard to rate a CD that is a hymns project or a “favorites” project. Based on the selection of the songs, I am going to give this 3 stars based on song selection. They came out of the gate on top of the world and then things seemed to dwindle downward. I like the group, the sound, but I wouldn’t consider that to be a compilation of “favorites”. Maybe 2 or 3 but not ten.
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Written: 01/01/2012
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Category: CD Reviews
Comments: 0
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