I 2 (Eye)

Description

I 2 (Eye) is the fourth studio album by the American singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Michael W. Smith, released on Reunion Records in September 1988, manufactured and distributed by both Word Records and A&M Records. The album was produced by Michael W. Smith and Wayne Kirkpatrick. The album combines the heart of Michael W. Smith’s Project with the musical maturity of The Big Picture.

It is clear from this album’s first puff of breath (through Terry McMillan’s harmonica) that ‘i 2 (eYe)’ is anything but ‘The Big Picture 2′. In fact, the opener «Hand of Providence» doesn’t sound much like anything Michael W. Smith has ever recorded before. The track plays as much silence as it does music, with a modified reggae beat contrasted against McMillan’s virtuoso country harmonica. When the chorus hits though, there’s no doubt who we’re listening to. It’s the classic Smitty sound and fortunately (depending on your point of view) most if the surprises stop right here.

The press kit accompanying this album suggests it combines the type of songs more typical of his first two records with the production touch of ‘The Big Picture’. That’s pretty much the case, and it’s good bet that spells s-a-l-e-s for your local Christian retailer. It should also be quite popular with Smith’s core group of fans: Christian teens and pre-teens. As his career progresses, his ministry focus continues to narrow to pinpoint this group, encouraging them to follow God’s ways and stand up to peer pressure.

Those themes, which also ran throughout his book, ‘Old Enough to Know’, are evident here on «All You’re Missin’ is a Heartache», «Help You Find Your Way», «Live and Learn» and «On the Other Side».

Musically speaking, Smith delivers the goods as well or better than ever before, having now gotten his practically perfect brand of keyboard-driven pop just about down pat. Like the last album, almost all of the tunes were co-written with Wayne Kirkpatrick, who also co-produced this time at Smitty’s home studio.

Memorable hooks and choruses abound on pop-rockers like «Secret Ambition», the Chicago-like «Live and Learn» and the big AOR rock sound of «All Your’re Missin’ is a Heartache» (featuring Stryper‘s Michael Sweet and Oz Fox on BGV’s). At times this stuff is a little too familiar for my liking, however. During the first few bars of «I Miss the Way» and all of «Pray for Me» I swear I had «Friends» flashbacks.

‘i 2 (eYe)’ also features an instrumental called «Ashton». Inspired by the novel ‘This Present Darkness’, Smith has concocted some percussive music with a midievil touch interesting enough to wonder why he doesn’t score film soundtracks, but not melodically memorable enough to warrant inclusion on a pop album like this. Previous instrumentals like «Musical Instruments» and «Wings of the Wind» worked better in that context. «The Throne», a song of praise complete with children’s choir, is soft enough pop to work in a worship setting at a concert, but one doubts it will have the acceptance in the church given to tunes like «Great Is the Lord» and «How Majestic Is Thy Name».

All of which is to say that this is not a pop masterpiece. It is however, Michael W. Smith’s most consistently listenable album in years, and should both please long-time fans and maybe endear some new ones over the coming months. [Thom Granger, CCM, September 1988]

CD Re-issue

This milestone album from 1988 comes from a period when Michael was making music appealing to a teenage audience and 24 years on this still contains some fine stuff. The rocking «All You’re Missing Is A Heartache» even contains backing vocals from Stryper‘s Michael Sweet and Oz Fox while «Seed To Sow» has an inspired arrangement bringing in an ethnic vibe helped by an African boys choir. Elsewhere, there is a remake of «Friends» and a tender ballad «Emily» which movingly reassures a young woman facing the enormity of life (“There are doubts to fade/ Moments to be made/ And one of them is yours”). All these tracks are good but the two which make ‘I 2 (Eye)’ a classic are Smith’s brilliant adaptation of the traditional liturgical hymn «Agnus Dei» and the compelling piece of pop rock «Secret Ambition». With great guitar work from Dann Huff and Jerry McPherson, pumping bass from Mike Brignardello and powerhouse drumming from Paul Leim this memorable song contains one of the most memorable lines in the whole of CCM, “Nobody knew his secret ambition was to give his life away.” An indispensable oldie. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, August 2012]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/i-2-eye/359496072)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Hand Of Providence” – 4:33
A2. “Secret Ambition” – 6:26
A3. “On The Other Side” – 3:40
A4. “All You’re Missin’ Is A Heartache” – 5:39
A5. “I Miss The Way” – 4:35

Side Two
B1. “Live And Learn” – 6:17
B2. “I Hear Leesha” – 5:26
B3. “Help You Find Your Way” – 5:28
B4. “Ashton” – 3:17
B5. “The Throne” – 6:49
B6. “Pray For Me” – 3:52

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Reunion Records.