Pros: Classics like "Friends" and "Great is
the Lord."
Cons: It was released in the 80's.
The Bottom Line:
Smitty's first release
Provides us two classic songs
In full 80's sound
The Project that Launched Michael W. Smith’s Career
When Project was
released in 1983, most people hadn't heard of Michael W. Smith. He was best known as the keyboardist on Amy
Grant's Age to Age tour. But this
release proved to be popular and launched the career of a Christian music
legend.
Of course, Michael got big help right out of the gate with
the super song "Friends." This
ode to the enduring legacy of deep friendships is still popular almost 30 years
later. To this day, I can't hear it
without thinking about close friendships of my own over the years. And, in a fitting note, Amy Grant sings
background vocals on this piano ballad.
These days, Michael is equally well known for his worship
and pop music, and even that seed was planted here. A late track on the disc is "Great is
the Lord" which I have sung at church for years. It's a simple yet wonderful praise song.
Michael has always been an instrumentalist at heart. For this release, he wrote the music and his
wife wrote all the lyrics. And you'll
find that three of the tracks are completely instrumental. He starts with a classically inspired
"Sonata in D Major" and ends with a bit more pop mixed with classical
in the "Alpha Overture."
(Shouldn't an overture be at the beginning?) Finally, mid-way through we get "Looking
Up" which is very pop in nature.
Anyone listening to Christian music in the 80's will
recognize many of the classics here.
"You Need a Saviour" is a fun, fast song. "Could He be the Messiah" looks at
the attitude of those in the first century to Jesus. And I will always associate "The Race is
on" with races at the roller skating rink.
Probably the one song that isn't super familiar outside this
disc is "Too Many Times."
Another quiet piano ballad, this one is a great plea to God to work in
our lives. I wish it were better known
since the lyrics are just so honest as he sings about our struggles to live for
God while fighting sin.
So, I've mention the 80's several times in this review
already. But if you stuck this disc in,
you wouldn't need me to point it out to you.
Almost all the songs are powered by synthesizer. (Who ever thought those things were cool,
anyway?) Even the quieter songs that are
mostly piano can't resist bringing it in occasionally. Granted, Michael did get worse in 80's
product later, but you can't deny it here, especially when listening to the
upbeat pop numbers.
There are a total of 11 tracks here, and the disc clocks in
at just over 41 minutes. Considering
most records of the day were shorter, that is pretty good.
While Project is
definitely dated stylistically, there are truly timeless songs on this
disc. There's a reason Michael W.
Smith's career took off from this point.
CD Length: 41:21
Tracks:
1. Sonata in D Major
2. You Need A Savior
3. Could He Be The Messiah
4. Too Many Times
5. Be Strong And Courageous
6. Looking Up
7. The Race is On
8. First Light/Love in the Light
9. Friends
10. Great Is the Lord
11. Alpha Overture
Who sang the backgrounds at the end of Could He Be The Messiah? Amy Grant?
ReplyDelete