Description
Highlands is the ninth album by the American rock band White Heart, released on StarSong Records in 1993.
It seemed that White Heart reached something of a watershed with its ‘Tales of Wonder‘ album – in a feat likely unprecedented in the history of Christian music, the band issued all 10 songs for ‘Tales’ as singles; three went to #1, three went to #2, and all the rest notched at least Top 40 status. Rather than rest on those impressive laurels, White Heart returned to the studio between ‘Tales’ tour dates. Feeling that a creative well-spring had been tapped, the group had cut the basic tracks for two songs before the end of ’92, and had the whole album completed barely a year after the release of ‘Tales’. The result is that ‘Highlands’ retains the freshness and excitement of new ideas being discovered and builds on the sounds and textures of the phenomenal ‘Tales’.
A swirling keyboard and vocal figure reminiscent of Yes opens the album, as Rhic (another spelling change!?) Florian, Mark Gersmehl and Billy Smiley lock into ethereal harmonies on the phrase “You can see the world from here.” The band challenges itself and its listeners to “Discover new lands” and “Climb beyond the place you’ve always been.” It’s evident from the outset that guitarist Brian Wooten, bassist Anthony Sallee and drummer Jon Knox have locked together as a rhythm section. Knox provides driving percussion without overplaying; Wooten fires off solos in economic bursts, never showboating, while Sallee adds subtle fills and interesting twists, sometimes echoing the vocalists and often providing counterparts.
«Nothing But the Best», the album’s first rock single, follows, in a strutting, Journey-ish fashion. Florian adjures us not to settle for second best in our faith or our service to God; Gersmehl and Wooten prod Rhic along, with Wooten’s crunchy guitar sounding at times more like a power tool. The magnificent «Heaven of my Heart» is up next; opening the song is Gersmehl’s low, gruff voice, buoyed by a wash of keyboards and acoustic guitars. Wooten chimes in with electric guitar accents, Florian and Smiley add their voices to the majestic arrangement, then Sallee and Knox lift the track to new heights. Gersh and Florian offer the consoling lyrical reminder that, until the time we see the Lord face-to-face, we can keep a bit of heaven inside each of us. I’d characterize «Once and For All» as the «Desert Rose» or «Say The Word» of ‘Highlands’; it’s not quite a ballad but less than a rocker. The group examines the mystery of Christ’s crucifixion, knowing that his death has settled our future. That provides the perfect lead-in to «Excuse Me, Forgive Me», a not-too-subtle illustration of how we all try to decide for ourselves which of our sins is worse than another, not realizing “something’s dying every time” we make that rationalization.
Anyone who’s ever felt burned or cheated by a soured romantic relationship will no doubt relate to «Change the Way», for that’s often the last part of our lives over which we allow God control. Knox punctuates the track with creative fills and Wooten adds another of his consistently inventive solos. «Highland of Love», the de facto title track, refers back to White Heart’s previous release, as Florian’s soaring voice intones “A tale of wonder told…;” the lyrics also complete the circle begun in «You Can See The World», with the similar theme “There’s a higher ground I see/ My Saviour is calling me/ I’m running to that place.” Sallee’s fluid bass runs push the song, with the cathedral-like keyboards and tight harmonies evoking the view from the mountain-top.
A Scottish mist is conjured for «The Cry» – Florian and Gersmehl trade verses, with Gersh’s recorder and keyboard lines adding the old world feel. “God is raising up a people/ Do you understand the cry goes out for you” again echoes the album’s themes of challenge and commitment. «Let My People Go» finds White Heart mentioning another recurrent topic – disenchantment with the secular media and political leadership (ideas touched on in «Vendetta» and «Who Owns You» from ‘Tales of Wonder’) – as Florian belts out the defiant lyric “Why must our faith be out of sight and sound/ If anything goes/ Then let me go my way/ I wanna live my life for him.” Ensemble vocals distinguish this hot track, as does the fretwork of Sallee and the acoustic piano of Gersmehl. Much as «Light a Candle» served as a bridge to this album, ‘Highlands’ closes with «The Flame Passes On», as White Heart reminds us that the only way faith is kept alive is by passing it along to others.
It’s impossible to overstate how White Heart has grown as a band. Although the emphasis in concert is generally on Florian, Gersmehl and Smiley; ‘Highlands’ shows Wooten, Sallee and Knox making the most of ample opportunities to flex their musical chops. With no yardstick but its own by which to measure its accomplishments, White Heart has topped ‘Tales of Wonder’ and made excellence the rule rather than the exception. [Bruce A. Brown, CCM, November 1993]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/highlands/1443663288)
CD tracklist:
01. You Can See The World – 4:21
02. Nothing But The Best – 3:42
03. Heaven Of My Heart – 6:11
04. Once And For All – 5:04
05. Excuse Me, Forgive Me – 4:17
06. Change The Way – 4:50
07. Highland Of Love – 5:04
08. The Cry – 5:30
09. Let My People Go – 5:22
10. The Flame Passes On – 4:09
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by StarSong Records.
“Heaven Of My Heart” (MUSIC VIDEO)
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