Music Review: Long Way Home by Ginny Owens

Stars: 3 out of 5
Pros: Half the songs have great lyrics and good music

Cons: The other half don't

The Bottom Line:

Average release

From an artist that I love

'Tis disappointing

Ginny Owens is a Long Way from Her Debut

When Ginny Owens debuted ten years ago, I quickly fell in love with her music.  Her debut was an unique blend of blues and pop that worked quite well and stood out from so much of what I had.  Her second release was more on the pop side of things, while her third tried to capture that balance again.  Long Way Home is her fourth studio release, and it heads too far to the blues side of things.  Unfortunately, it just doesn't work nearly as well as it could have.

The disc opens well enough with "Waiting for Tomorrow."  This is a peppy popish number that reminds us to live what God has brought us today instead of wasting today looking forward to tomorrow.  If the rest of the disc has kept this type of song going, I would have enjoyed it more.

Things slow down some of the piano based "Fellow Traveler."  There are some fun touches with the base that made this song stand out.  It's a bit of a mid-tempo ballad, really.  The song itself is about sharing the rest we have found in God with those around us.

Another slow song I enjoy is "Wonderful Wonder."  This one is a praise ballad to our great God who spoke the world into existence.  It's even more potent written from Ginny's point of view since she is blind.  The final verse even talks about how much she is looking forward to seeing and worshipping God in Heaven.  The music is beautiful as well with Ginny's simple piano accompanied by gorgeous strings.

Back on the upbeat side is "Welcome to Love."  Piano and guitar accompany Ginny as she sings about how great it is to surrender to a love we don't deserve.  This one can bring a smile to my face no matter way.

By far the longest track on this disc is closer "Live Once."  Ginny's piano takes on a jazzy feel here, and the guitars and drums follow suit.  Again, we're talking about a slow track that encourages us to seize every day and live it to the fullest.  Ginny actually sings for about half the track, and the rest of the seven and a half minutes are the instruments.  It sounds great, and I enjoy listening to the entire track.

Unfortunately, when the disc goes wrong, it drags these good songs down.  The trouble starts with the title song.  "Long Way Home" goes fully to the blues side.  There's some interesting percussion in there, but that's about all that can really be said for it.  It's way too slow for my taste, making the four and a half minute track feel interminable.

"Let the Silence Speak" and "I Bring Everything" are decent songs, one a call from God to spend quiet time listening for Him and the other a song of surrender.  The lyrics are good, but the songs are just so slow my mind tunes about around the chorus.

Then there are "Tyranny" and "Pieces."  Neither song works for me, and I can't quite figure out why.  "Tyranny" talks about the freedom of starting over with God.  It's on the upbeat side of tings, but I think the blues influences are what kill it for me.  "Pieces" is just a disaster.  This is the only song on the disc to feature guitar as the main instrument instead of piano.  It tries to become a rock song with screaming guitar, but the melody is so strange it turns me off.  Plus there's the fact that on a real rock CD, this song would be the slow song and not one of the up tempo offerings.

Laying out the good and bad tracks side by side makes Long Way Home a draw.  Die hard Ginny Owens fans will probably find something they enjoy here, but casual fans or new comers to this great artist can skip this one.

CD Length: 43:39

Tracks:

1. Waiting for Tomorrow

2. Fellow Traveler

3. Long Way Home

4. Welcome to Love

5. Wonderful Wonder

6. Let the Silence Speak

7. Tyranny

8. Pieces

9. I Bring Everything

10. Live Once