Friday, September 24, 2010

LISTEN UP!

     Cindy Morgan's fourth album, LISTEN, was released in 1996 on Word Records and was produced by Brent Bourgeois.  It begins with 'The Master's Hand', which is about reliance on God during life's difficulties: "You carry me through the hard times in life/Oh and You rescue me from the storms in the night."  'Moon Days', the rockiest song on this project has a similar theme.  If it were to be covered by one of today's more popular artists, I'd choose Natalie Grant.  'To Fly' is a story song of sorts.  It is a pretty ballad that finds her on a train imagining what it would be like to rise up above life's hardships and find purpose: " 'Cause in our hearts/We seek the part/God designed for us."
     The lyric for the title track 'Listen', was written by Cindy's father Cova Morgan in the 1970's.  It is a plea for people to listen to the Gospel with their ears and their hearts.  'Gravity' concludes that we need God's help to believe in Him and that it is crucial that we believe: "Dear Lord, help us believe now/In the true light, burning tonight/'Cause we won't survive/If we don't believe now."
     'The Promise' is a ballad about the pain of divorce.  At the other end of the emotional spectrum, 'They Say it's Love ("Stars")' is a jazzy, fun, pop tune about falling in love.
     LISTEN is a fine pop album.  Impressively, Cindy wrote ten of the twelve tracks alone.  Vocally at times she sounds like Tammy Trent.  I'm giving this one 84%.