Description
Matters of the Heart is the sophomore album by the American singer and songwriter Bob Bennett, released on Priority Records in 1982, a short-lived gospel label established by CBS Records in 1981. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Jonathan David Brown at Weddington Studios in North Hollywood, California. Charts and track arrangements prepared by Smitty Price. Strings and woodwinds arranged and conducted by Jim Stipech.
Featuring Bob Bennett on acoustic guitar and lead vocals, backed by a session band with Smitty Price on keyboards, Hadley Hockensmith of Koinonia fame on electric guitar, and a rhythm section consisting of John Patitucci on acoustic and electric bass and Larry Carlton sideman John Ferraro on drums (with session drummer Keith Edwards sitting in on the four last tracks on side two), as well as Alex MacDougall of The Way and Daniel Amos fame on percussion. Background vocals provided by Kelly Willard and Roby Duke, among others. Guest appreances by John Phillips (saxophone, flute, and English horn), Steve Swinford (steel guitar), Mark Davis (hammered dulcimer), and Don Gerber of Gentle Faith fame (banjo).
Matters of the Heart was included among the Best Albums of 1982 by CCM Magazine, voted Album of the Year and topping the list featuring thirteen albums. A few years later as well named one of the “Top 20 Christian Albums Of All Time” by the same magazine.
I think that accomplishing some sort of ministry by playing music is a completely faulty, frail method that God still manages to use. To me, my primary goal is to communicate truthfully with people. If I can communicate truthfully the life of the spirit and the always accompanying struggle along the way, then ministry happens as a natural result of that. [Bob Bennett]
Since his first album, ‘First Things First‘, Bob Bennett has been taken seriously. Now with the release of his second LP, ‘Matters of the Heart’, Bob is again proving his exceptional songwriting, vocalization and instrumental talents. ‘Matters of the Heart’ is a highly reflective and recollective collection of sentimental songs. Many of the tunes deal with memories – Bob’s. Through song, he literally opens his past for all to visualize and vicariously experience in the vivid pictures he paints. Bob has an uncanny way of paring through the surface issues of all stages of life and displaying them clearly in his songs. «Together All Alone» is a perfect example of such expression.
Lyrically, the LP is not immersed with cliches. In fact, they are not obviously evangelical in nature. A couple of the songs just lay the cards flat on the table, exposing the darkness in the souls of men. Such songs leave the listener with conviction that a thousand “Jesus saved my soul” phrases could not project. They are, however, fixed on the reality of Jesus Christ. He is referred to as the Shepherd, the Lamb, the Man from Heaven, and Jesus of Nazareth.
To compare Bob’s melodic speak-sing voice with anyone else is impossible; his vocals are totally and completely his own. In addition to his outstanding voice, Bob is an excellent guitarist. His acoustic talents are obviously apparent here, although some songs are embellished with the electric guitar of Hadley Hockensmith. The overall sound of the LP is acoustic, with vague jazz tones snug beneath the surface. The opportunity for secular crossover airplay is phenomenal for many of the album’s cuts.
The LP opens with the title cut, «Matters of the Heart» and closes with an equally thoughtful tune, «The Heart of the Matter». The songs in-between are powerful exposes on life.
Best cuts include: «Together All Alone», «1951», and «Falling Stars». [C.A. Burns, CCM, May 1982]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/matters-of-the-heart/716224123)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Matters Of The Heart” – 3:30
A2. “Falling Stars” – 3:07
A3. “Mountain Cathedrals” – 4:54
A4. “1951” – 3:07
A5. “A Song About Baseball” – 3:21
Side Two
B1. “Madness Dancing” – 3:19
B2. “Together All Alone” – 2:48
B3. “Beggar” – 3:57
B4. “Come And See” – 2:51
B5. “Heart Of The Matter” – 6:10
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Priority Records. Re-issued on cassette, vinyl, and CD by StarSong Records in 1985. Re-issued once again on cassette by Urgent Records in 1989 and possibly on CD in 1990.
A full-page advertisement for Bob Bennett’s Matters of the Heart was featured in the February 1983 issue of CCM Magazine.
CREDITS. Produced, recorded and mixed by Jonathan David Brown at Weddington Studios, North Hollywood, CA. Second Engineer: Wally Grant. Charts and track arrangements prepared by Smitty Price. Mastered by Steve Hall at MCA Whitney Recording Studios, Glendale, CA. Strings/Woodwinds Arranged and Conducted by James Gabriel Stipech. Concertmaster: Pavel Farkas. Art Direction by Bob McConnell. Photography by Ken Kim.
Musicians: Bob Bennett (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar), Smitty Price (Keyboards), John Phillips (English Horn, Flute, Saxophone), Steve Swinford (Steel Guitar and 2nd Acoustic Guitar on track A3), Hadley Hockensmith (Electric Guitar), Don Gerber (Banjo), Mark Davis (Hammered Dulcimer), John Patitucci (Acoustic and Electric Bass), Keith Edwards (Drums – tracks: B2 To B5), John Ferraro (Drums – tracks: A1 To A5, B1), Alex MacDougall (Percussion). Background Vocals: Roby Duke (B4), Kelly Willard (A5, B1, B4), Barbara Davis (B1), and Jonathan David Brown (B2).
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