Description
Promise of Love is the debut album by the American singer and songwriter Thom Shumate, released on Questar/Mission Records in April 1996. The album was produced by Mark Chesshir.
Long a songwriter for other Christian artists, Thom Shumate now steps out on his own with ‘Promise of Love’, his debut release for the new Questar/Mission label.
Produced by Mark Chesshir, these largely acoustic “story songs” explore with intelligent, moving lyrics the human need to forgive and be forgiven, to love and to be loved. «Freedom, Love and Forgiveness» finds guest vocalist Ashley Cleveland turning in one of her finest performances to date, while Phil Keaggy chips in some of his always-pleasing guitar work on «If it Was All Up to Me». Other notable cuts include «That’s Amazing Grace», and the rockin’ «What Good is it?».
The one weak link in the chain is the almost unforgivably cliché ridden «Jesus in the U.S.A.» That aside, ‘Promise of Love’ is a remarkably strong debut album that shows Thom Shumate to be one of the more promising artists to emerge in recent memory. [Michael Ciani, CCM, May 1996]
If you were going to launch into the Christian music market, as Questar have with this release, you’d be hard put to find a better singer/songwriter than Mr Shumate. With the same kind of deftly crafted, spiritually insightful songs that has taken Steven Curtis Chapman to the top Stateside. Like Mr Chapman, Thorn shows occasional country tinges mixed into the deftly arranged pop brew, the effect is profoundly enjoyable. My absolute favourite is «Living On The Face Of The Moon» with an eerie atmosphere and lyrics which hit particularly deep, “We built our cities out of gold and glass/ All pain and poverty left in the past/ War was a cancer that had been removed/ Belief in God has long since been disproved/ And we’re living on the surface of the moon” though the haunting «Holy Eyes» chosen as Thorn’s first single and «Can’t Hide Your Heart» a poignant vignette about a lass let down in romantic love until she finds true love in Jesus are also very fine. Accompanists are from many of CCM’s finest, including Ashley Cleveland singing with Thorn on the infectious opener «Freedom Love And Forgiveness» and Phil Keaggy offering some deft licks on «If It Was All Up To Me». A brilliant debut. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, April 1996]
CD tracklist:
01. Freedom Love & Forgiveness – 5:02
02. Promise of Love – 4:15
03. Forgiveness – 5:05
04. Can’t Hide Your Heart – 3:39
05. Jesus in the U.S.A. – 2:58
06. Living On The Surface Of The Moon – 5:36
07. Holy Eyes – 3:58
08. That’s Amazing Grace – 4:01
09. What Good Is It – 3:15
10. If It Was All Up To Me – 5:41
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