Description
Saints & Sinners is the third album by the American singer and songwriter Michael Anderson, released on ForeFront Records in 1993. The album was recorded in Nashville in 1991 with Eddie DeGarmo of DeGarmo & Key Band fame producing. Featuring background vocals by the original Jordanaires, as well as duets with Ashley Cleveland and Jeff Rollings.
Despite his Nashville songwriter roots, country music is a flavour rather than a direction; this is a set of acoustic-based songs but with a rootsy punchy rhythm section. The overall feel reminds one of a cross between John Prine and Mike Peters on a good day, the songs are exceptionally crafted managing to be full of non-cool words like God and Jesus but with no hint of the high cliché count that ruins many overt albums. Some luminaries in the tough backing band (Jerry McPherson, Ed DeGarmo) and an album which will reward anyone who checks it out. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms Magazine, August 1993]
Anderson has been what you might call “snake bit.” In 1988, he released the critically-acclaimed ‘Sound Alarm‘; and despite being rife with spiritual overtones, it left marketing folk at mainstream A&M Records scratching their heads, wondering how to promote an artist whose first single was an apocalyptic foot-stomper based on parts of the book of Joel. Although his 1990 follow-up, ‘Michael Anderson‘ was somwhat less direct in its spiritual connotations and had the benefit of Michael Omartian‘s studio polish, it fared no better commercially. With his recording option dropped, Anderson honed his songwriting chops, and his luck turned around, as Pam Tillis’ recording of his «Maybe It Was Memphis» earned Anderson a Song of the Year Award from the Country Music Association. Anderson’s music publisher recently paired him with Eddie DeGarmo as a songwriting team, but Eddie was determined to get Michael’s own performances out to the public; hence, ‘Saints and Sinners’ is really Anderson’s Christian music “debut.”
‘Saints and Sinners’ is arguably his most natural sounding album to date. Much of that can be attributed to the laid-back, acoustic-based atmosphere of the recording itself. Although his gruff voice, reminiscent of singers such as John Mellencamp and John Hiatt, has power to spare, in the past, his delivery has often sounded strained. For a change, Anderson doesn’t sound like he’s fighting to be heard over the band.
One thing that won’t be strained is the listener’s ability to interpret Anderson’s lyrics. From the album’s title, to songs like «God’s Been Good To Me», «I Keep Comin’ Back To Jesus», and «The Man From Galilee», there’s no doubt this is a full-fledged gospel album.
Through his songwriting concepts are basic, Anderson’s excellent turn-of-phrase keeps them from sounding shop-worn – “Let me wallow in the dirt/ For all my friends to see/ Yes, God’s been good to me,” and from that same song, “Took away my dreams/ Broke my heart in two/ I’ll bet sometimes’ Jesus’ dad/ Has done the same to you.” Jack Holder’s electric “chicken-picking” guitar scoots things along nicely, while backing vocals from The Jordanaires add just the right old-fashioned flavor. Other highlights include a bluesy, acoustic remake of «Sound Alarm», replete with fiddle and dobro; «Have a Little Faith In Me», with its whining steel guitar and superb backing vocals by Bob Carlisle, Jonell Mosser and Ashley Cleveland which makes it perfect for country radio, and «What You Gonna Do About Jesus», which features provocative lyrics such as “He don’t give a damn about your religion” and “He was crazy or he was God/ He lied like sin or told it like it is.”
Anderson will no doubt draw comparisons to artists like Rick Elias (songwriting style) and Geoff Moore (vocal style) but he’s his own man, and he’s produced one of the most well-balanced and welcome comebacks in recent memory. [Bruce A. Brown, CCM, April 1993]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/saints-sinners/716056774)
CD tracklist:
01. God’s Been Good to Me
02. Saints & Sinners
03. Something to Believe In
04. Have A Little Faith In Me
05. I Keep Coming Back To Jesus
06. Sound Alarm
07. Deal With The Devil
08. What You Gonna Do About Jesus
09. Man From Galilee
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by ForeFront Records.
“Sound Alarm,” Live at The Local in Nashville on January 13th, 2020. Band members: Michael Anderson, Soraiya Campbell, Kirk Eberhard, Mike Bailey.
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