Description
Strong Medicine is the fourth studio album by the American singer and songwriter Bryan Duncan, formerly lead singer of Sweet Comfort Band, released on Myrrh Records in 1989, a division of Word. The album was produced by Larry Brown with Chuck Barth co-producing.
From his debut with the Sweet Comfort Band in the ’70s, through the course of four solo albums in the ’80s, Bryan Duncan has been one of contemporary Christian music’s most consistent and dependable artists. Which is great if you’re already a fan and love his brand of blue-eyed, R&B inflected pop. But when you’re a critic who’ always been a bit of a fence sitter on the subject of Mr. D., it’s sort of a mixed blessing.
Nevertheless, consistency has it’s audience, and on ‘Strong Medicine’ Duncan again teams up with Larry Brown and Chuck Barth for production, and Allies‘ Bob Carlisle for vocals and arrangements, for an album that basically folllows the same formula as his other solo projects, but with a few notable exceptions. The remarkable Take 6 were recruited for vocals on two tunes, and the nice surprise here is how subtle their talents were put to use, yet how effective the result can be. On the title tune, a jazzy, laid-back number, the black gospel influence in the piano might have been a bit too subtle for the average Christian music listener, but add the jazz and gospel vocals of Take 6 and presto, the whole thing works in a classy, understated, and completely natural way. Not so with «Don’t You Wanna Rap With Me», a light, tongue-in-cheek rap in the manner of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Though Duncan infuses it with his own self-deprecating humor, it nonetheless feels forced and grows tiresome by the end of the tune.
That said, it must be stressed that the remainder of the album is full of solid songwriting and singing that Duncan’s fans have come to expect, and he does deliver those goods. I don’t know why I can’t get real excited about ‘Strong Medicine’. It’s probably Bryan Duncan’s most consistent album yet. Part of the problem, perhaps? [Thom Granger, CCM, April 1989]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/strong-medicine/1165956249)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Let Me Be Broken” – 4:33
A2. “Recognize A Lover From A Thief” – 4:20
A3. “Stand In My Place” – 4:19
A4. “Strong Medicine” – 5:07
Side Two
B1. “Don’t Ya Wanna Rap” – 3:55
B2. “Inside Out” – 4:25
B3. “Lies Upon Lies” – 3:00
B4. “Hand It Over” – 4:14
B5. “Wonderful” – 3:52
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Modern Art Records. Re-issued on CD by Retroactive Records in 2021, remastered with 8-page booklet in jewel case with lyrics
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