Carolina Boys "Watch and Pray" Album Review

Prime Cuts:  Grace will be There, There is a Fountain, The Cross Still Stands

Satan has a subtle way of making us believe that the Gospel has an expiration date.  At the sacrilegious altar of relevancy, he has a way of making us believe that the fact that Jesus came and died for our sins do not jar with our modern age of iTunes, iPhones and iPads.  As a result, many a lesser singer and preacher have domesticated the Gospel by twisting it into a contemporary fad that is no good news at all.  Yet, many do not realize that any teaching that is not anchored in eternal truths is already out of date.  Thankfully, such blasphemous atrocity is absent in Carolina Boys' latest Crossroads release "Watch and Pray."  This is an album of (as the Carolina Boys put it in the song "That's How I Got Saved") about "old fashioned singing and old fashioned preaching." 

Based in South Carolina, Carolina Boys consist of Stephen Jewell (bass), Joe Trusty (baritone), Chuck Lowe (lead) and Patrick Campbell (tenor).  Ever since their formation, the quartet has shared the stage with Southern Gospel luminaries such as Janet Paschal, the Crist Family, Ivan Parker, Greater Vision, the Florida Boys, the Kingsmen and others. "Watch and Pray" is the much anticipated follow-up to Carolina Boys' 2012 critically acclaimed "Truly Blessed." Instead of navigating into trendy waters, "Watch and Pray" is choked full of their fabulous four part harmonies over tunes that are well informed by the teachings of Scripture.  

The foursome is careful not to sideline issues pertinent in Holy Writ including an issue often avoided by singers and preachers, the second coming of Jesus.  Three songs are specifically devoted towards the exposition of this truth: the first being the title cut and single "Watch and Pray."  This Rebecca Peck composition takes with seriousness the words of Jesus from Luke 12:35-48 about our need to be vigilant about our living.  Developing on the same theme but giving us more practical tips on how we can live out this truth is "Livin' Like I'm Leaving."  Featuring a toe-tapping beat and with flourishes of the hymn "I'll Fly Away,"  "Someday" makes our ultimate reunion with the Lord extra enticing and meaningful. 

For pastors and songwriters who may be tempted to dilute the Gospel for the sake of trying to be relevant, "That's How I Get Saved" is a must-hear song.  Told from a testimonial perspective, "That's How I Get Saved" will certainly restore our belief in the faithful renderings of the Gospel in our messages.  If you are into full-blown Southern Gospel ballads that end with over-the-top crescendos, there are plenty of them here.  Most gorgeous are "There is a Fountain," "The Cross Still Stands" and "Grace will be There." Credit needs to be given to producer Danny Crawford for orchestrating the sounds to such majestic proportions.  If you are into great four-part singing unadulterated by the derivatives messages of any pseudo-pop Christianity, "Watch and Pray" is a record to keep an eye on.

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