Gold City - Moment Of Truth

Produced by Michael Sykes, Daniel Riley
©2008 New Haven Records
8079-2

Don’t Get Me Started (Mary Funderburk, Sue Smith) – This is probably the most “classic Gold City-sounding” song on the project; heavy brass and an up tempo beat. I don’t see this song being more than a good album opener, but it’s good for getting the energy up. I must say that Steve Ladd has come a LONG way since his debut on First Class; I knew when he joined that he would be a good fit, but he has really come into his own and, in my opinion, has evolved into quite a “power tenor,” ala Danny Funderburk. Note to the Rileys: don’t let this guy go!!

What Children Believe (James Isaac Elliott, Brent Lamb, Jerry Salley) – When I first heard a sound clip of this song, my initial reaction was, “This is gonna be cheesy.” After I heard the entire song, however, I had tears in my eyes. Throughout the entire song, all I could think of was my five year old son, and I have a feeling that this will resonate most with parents. My next thought was, “This would fit well on country radio;” there is nothing overtly preachy about the song, and I think it’d be a nice fit on the softer side of FM country. I have a feeling this will be to GC what “Thank God For Kids” is for the Oaks.

I Cast My Bread Upon The Water (Joel and LaBreeska Hemphill) – I am almost certain that this project began while Jonathan Wilburn was still with the group, however, this song sounds almost tailor-made for Bruce Taliaferro’s voice; he fits this song like a glove with his soulful voice. This is probably the most “Sykes-esqe” track on the project, very country-sounding. The amount of energy on this track is just right, and a good pick for the first single.

For The Sake Of My Heart (Wayne Haun, Joel Lindsey) – This is the “epic ballad” of the project. You can hear echoes of “Truth Is Marching On” and “Preach the Word” in the arrangement. I don’t really hear anything spectacular in this song, but the message is still strong.

Walkin’ And Talkin’ With My Lord (JD Sumner) – This is an old JD Sumner tune, and you can tell with the bass lines. Aaron McCune seems to like the old bass features, but I think this song fits the project better than “Teach Me Lord To Wait” did on the Revival project. The track is a more bouncy, and the whole group gets to have fun.

I Love This Land (Ben Storie) – A nice patriotic number, and Haven Ladd reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is a good touch. Again, nothing really spectacular, but this is one of the few patriotic selections that actually mentions the freedom to worship Jesus.

I’ll Walk On (Sue Smith, Belinda Smith) – This is my favorite cut on the album. A smooth, flowing ¾ meter and trade off on lead vocals between Danny Riley and Steve Ladd is a good touch. I also like the minor 7^th on the 4 chords during the chorus (yes, I’m a music theory geek!!). After hearing power ballads and up tempo dancers for the last few years, I think listeners would enjoy this change of pace.

When Jesus Saves (Sue Smith, Barry Weeks) – Musically, this is pushing Gold City toward the contemporary side; the track is a driving almost 6/8 feel, and almost sounds it came from a Michael English album (English had a hand in producing GC’s last project). Another example of how Steve has really grown into a great tenor singer. He also gets a chance to show off his range during encore, rocketing into rafters with some screaming overdubs. I really think with the combination of Ladd and Bruce Taliaferro, the group could really evolve into a more soulful sound that could appeal to the younger audiences, not to mention the energy.

By Your Grace, For Your Glory (Michael Puryear, Kyle Matthews, Dwight Liles) – This is the most “gospel-sounding” cut. A slight blues syncopation feel and group leads on the first verse. This would be a good concert encore, I think; not a huge production number, but a good group feature, and something good to leave the crowd with.

Turn Your Back (Dianne Wilkinson) – This track doesn’t change much from the Cathedrals’ original cut, other than the fact that it’s a little more mellow. I always thought the Cats’ version was rather upbeat, but here, it takes a softer sound with brushes on the snare and less electric guitar leads. It actually resembles Don Williams’ “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good” (which doesn’t really surprise me, considering Aaron McCune names Williams as his favorite singer).

Essentially, Gold City has been rebuilding over the last several years. Since 2002, the entire lineup has changed, and they have been having to kind of “prove themselves” to audiences who know Brian, Ivan, Mike, Tim, or even Jay, Jonathan, Mark and Tim as “the” Gold City. They have been taking all of the right steps so far to do so; on stage, they are pulling out songs that the group hasn’t done in years (“John Saw,” “In My Robe Of White,” “When I Get Carried Away”) to keep their dedicated fan base happy (and to possibly pull back any fans of yesterday). In the studio, however, they are recording modern, relevant material that is keeping up with the times, which will bring in new fans, as well. It may take a little bit of time, but if they can be patient and ride out the storm, I think GC is set for a steady climb back to the top.

SIDE NOTE: If you listen closely, you can hear a Warr Touch Guitar on the recording, played by a very good friend of mine, Ron Fairchild, who also did some engineering work on the project. Check out his site here....