The Wisecarvers “Armor” Album Review

Prime Cuts:  It Was Jesus, Somebody Here, Don't You Think You Ought to Worship Me

In the rapid pace where new music is coming from a plethora of Southern Gospel artists, the Wisecarvers' "Armor" causes punctuation.  In at least two areas, "Armor" deviates from the standard contours of Southern Gospel releases.  First, the Wisecarvers write their own songs.  While many acts these days have a penchant for re-cycling old favorites or garner material from a tight cluster of songwriters, Wisecarvers have avoid such temptations.  Second, the Wisecarvers have a sharper and more polished sound relative to most of their peers.  Though the album is produced by the legendary Jeff Collins (The McKameys, Mark Bishop), "Armor" has a more popish-country flare with electric guitars taking more of a spotlight than most of Collins' own handiwork.  In this sense, "Armor" has a more youthful execution that ought to appeal to those who like the works of modern country music such as Tim McGraw or Chris Young or Cam.

The Wisecarvers had a serendipitous beginning:  what started as singing a few songs at the family reunion, to helping with the music at their local church, what was once just a hobby became a dream. Through God's divine grace and favour, The Wisecarvers have watched those dreams become reality. The group is now made up of Vince and Tammy, along with sons Dustin and Chase, and Dustin's wife Kaila. Kaila sang with The Bradys, from her home state of Alabama, for 7 years before making the move to Tennessee in November 2011 when she and Dustin got married. She was also raised in a very musical family and grew up a preacher's kid. She joined the group and was able to fill the soprano part. God's plans never cease to amaze.

"Armor" is the much anticipated follow-up to their highly successful Skyland Records "The Journey."  Rather than carbon-copying other Southern Gospel groups with their layered harmony, "Plain and Simple" finds the team trading vocals on this adrenaline packed pop-country tune that owes more to the Band Perry than the Hinsons. This doesn't mean that the Wisecarvers have abandoned their roots.  "Give Me a Little More" features some rattling banjo, an effervescent sounding harmonica, and vocals so engaging that it's like the team are ready to jump out of the speakers.  More harmonica moments abound with "At Any Cost," a well written ballad about following Christ with no strings attached.

"Don't You Think You Ought to Worship Me" is easily the album's cynosure track.  In today's culture of commercialized Christianity, it's easy to treat Jesus as just another ATM card. "Don't You Think" challenges us to worship Christ for who he is and not just as a gift manufacturer.  Never one to just sing in the abstract, "It Was Jesus" deals with painful life scenarios, one of them being a person wrestling with cancer.  This is a heart-wrenching ballad speaks of how miracles still happen today; this is a song that excels in its attention paid to its narrative details. Don't overlook the waltzy "Hope, Faith, Love," the jazzy piano riffs here are pulverizing.

If you are looking for music that doesn't stray too much from all the delightful rustic sounds of banjos, harmonicas and fiddling and yet you want something energetically fresh, youthful, and passionate, you can't really go wrong with "Armor."

 

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