Angels of Mercy

Description

Angels of Mercy is the sophomore studio album by the American singer Susan Ashton, released on Sparrow Records in June 1992. The album was produced by Wayne Kirkpatrick.

Susan Ashton had something of a banner year with her 1991 release, ‘Wakened by the Wind‘, which drew praise from fans and critics alike, and got all sorts of airplay on Christian radio. Things should be no different with her sophomore effort, ‘Angels of Mercy’, which brings back all the elements that made the first one a success: the same sweet, angelic voice; the same breezy, adult contemporary/pop music, inflected with bits of folk and crossover country music; the same crackerjack producer (Wayne Kirkpatrick) and songs from some of the same writers (Kirkpatrick, Phil Madeira). If there’s a difference, it’s that the music has moved a bit left, away from the country leanings. The opener, «Here in My Heart», in fact, has some rock flavorings; it’s still too delicate for rock radio, but it’s a fresh direction, nonetheless. Interestingly, it’s the only song credited to Ashton as a co-writer.

The rest of side one continues the musical thread – less country – putting Ashton in the same AC/soft rock musical company as, say, Beth Nielsen Chapman. «Grand Canyon» is a gentle, spacy meditation on the chasm we sometimes allow between ourselves and God; «Better Angels of Our Nature» uses interesting storybook and governmental images to examine the dilemma of casting the first stone; «Innocence Lost» captures the tragedy of lost childhood and the cost of losing our childlike faith: “Milton lost his paradise/ Dorothy lost her way/ Vincent lost his sanity/ Thomas lost his faith/ Hoover lost the second time/ Sigmund lost his friend/ Me, I lost my innocence/ And I want it back again.”

But with «Innocence Lost» and on into side two, the album starts nudging again into crossover country territory, ever so slightly, with artists like Sawyer Brown and Restless Heart – positioning Ashton, possibly, as a female Steven Curtis Chapman. She manages to keep things breezy enough though, that fans of AC and soft-rock can still enjoy the ride.

«Started as a Whisper» has an almost eerie hint of Elton John’s «Madman Across the Water», albeit at a much faster pace, which propels its story of a little country church turning an un-Christian cold shoulder on an outsider. «Alice in Wonderland» has an almost torch-song feeling to it, as maybe something Bette Midler or recently k.d. lang may have done. «When are You Coming Back» is a thick, country gospel plea, with some very spiritual blues plugged in for good measure.

If there’s a complaint, it’s that there isn’t more of Susan Ashton the person in these songs – sometimes it’s too easy to imagine someone else singing them, too. But these are still very good songs, with some good music and some good works, and ‘Angels of Mercy’ should help cement Ashton’s reputation as a special talent in contemporary Christian music. [Chris Well, CCM, August 1992]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/angels-of-mercy/724548182)

CD tracklist:

01. Here In My Heart – 4:09
02. Grand Canyon – 4:35
03. Better Angels Of Our Nature – 4:23
04. Hunger And Thirst – 3:17
05. Innocence Lost – 3:50
06. Started As A Whisper – 5:21
07. Alice In Wonderland – 4:05
08. When Are You Coming Back – 4:20
09. Walk On By – 4:51
10. Let Me Go – 3:26

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