(see inside)

Description

(see inside) is the fifth album by the American pop duo Out of the Grey (husband-and-wife Scott and Christine Denté), released on Sparrow Records in 1997, distributed by Chordant Distribution Group. The album was recorded by Steve Bishir at Sound Emporium in Nashville, Tennessee; with Brown Bannister producing.

Is image everything? Depends on which high-profile advertising campaign you believe. If you believe Nikon, it is. If you believe Sprite, it’s not.

In the case of Out of the Grey’s Scott and Christine Denté, I don’t think it is. These folks have been buffeted around by the winds of change that so often pass through the hallways of record companies, it’s amazing they want to make music at all.

They were part of Sparrow’s 1991 roll-out of “alternative” artists that also included Jimmy A. and Steve Wiggins (now with Big Tent Revival). They were supposed to be part of the new vanguard of Christian music in the ’90s.

And they are, but not because Christine takes a good picture (which she does) or because Scott is a live wire guitar player (which he is). It’s because they make good records.

The couple’s fifth album, ‘see inside’, is a thoroughly enjoyable listen because it seems the attempts at positioning the Dentés as an edgy pop act or an ultra-polished Armani-wearing adult contemporary couple are coming to an end. It sounds like they got to make the record they wanted to make. The songs are solid both structurally and lyrically, Christine’s vocals aren’t as over the top (if such a breathy voice can be described as “over the top”) as on past records, and the instrumentation is natural and appropriate.

Whether or not this is attributable to Brown Bannister’s presence as producer is really only known to the three of them, but Bannister’s forte these days seems to be working with artists who are mid-stream into their careers and coaxing compelling records out of them, as he has done with Steven Curtis Chapman, Twila Paris, Carolyn Arends, and now, Out of the Grey.

The album’s opener, «No Leaving», sets a nice pace, with good strong bass work (thanks to Jimmie Lee Sloas), cool fuzz-box electric guitar (from Sloas’ partner in Dogs of Peace, Gordon Kennedy) and Scott’s looping acoustic guitar cutting through the groove.

On this song, as well as subsequent tracks like «Come Clean», «Winter Sun» and «Disappear», Christine’s voice sits nicely atop the instruments, confidently out in front but not distracting from the work going on behind her. It’s the most intimate situation in which we’ve gotten to experience her fabulous voice, and it complements the songs nicely.

Scott even gets to take a turn at the lead mic on «That’s Where I Live» and does a more than credible job. Not that I’m suggesting he embark on a solo career or anything (sorry, man, but your wife has the better vocal chops), but this song shows he can truly hold his own as a singer.

So, in the end, for whom is ‘see inside’ intended? If you count yourself a fan of good songs, great singers and/or superb musicianship, this is for you. If image counts more than substance, there’s plenty else for you to listen to. [Lucas W. Hendrickson, CCM, May 1997]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/see-inside/724283632)

CD tracklist:

01. No Leaving – 4:13
02. Come Clean – 4:09
03. Not A Chance – 4:44
04. Winter Sun – 4:21
05. Constant – 4:00
06. Disappear – 5:32
07. That’s Where I Live – 3:46
08. My God You Are (Psalm 22) – 4:27
09. Prove It – 3:56
10. Joy – 4:00

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Sparrow Records.