The Symphony Project

Description

The Symphony Project is an album by the American vocal group Glad featuring the London Symphony Orchestra, released on Benson in 1991. The album was recorded by Kevin Myers at 21st Street Recording in Purcellville, Virginia; and was produced by group member Ed Nalle with Glad. Mixed by Brent King and group member Ed Nalle at Digital Recorders in Nashville, Tennessee (except track 3 mixed by Billy Brady at Omega Studios in Rockville, Maryland). Featuring London Symphony Orchestra, recorded by Dick Lewzey at CTS Studios in London, England.

Glad features Ed Nalle on lead vocals; Rob Neal on keyboards and vocals; Chris Davis on guitar and vocals; Jim Bullard on bass and vocals; and John Gates on drums and vocals.

Surely if you take one of the finest vocal quintets and add to it the undoubted qualities of the London Symphony Orchestra you must end up with a five star album. Unfortunately not! It appears Messrs Nalle, Davis, Gates, Neal and Bullard were so overawed by the LSO they chose not to display their own talents to the full. The resulting album is a collection of solos, mainly by Ed Nalle, that lie somewhere between Steven Curtis Chapman and Steve Green. The rest of the band seem content to provide backup – instrumental and vocal. The songs themselves are fairly strong ranging from meditations on Christ – «Servant Of Servants» and «When He Comes Again» – through comfort and consolation – «There Is Hope» and «He’ll Always Defend You» – to a final declaration of commitment – «We Belong To You Alone» – but the arrangements are, to my ears, a little bland. As a confirmed fan of the Acapella Projects it seems a shame that only on «Mary, Mary» do we get to hear the distinctive sounds I, for one, expected. Still, for all my disappointment, they still turn in a polished performance. [Jonathan Priday, Cross Rhythms, October 1991]

[Kathleen A. Ervin, CCM, July 1991]

CD tracklist:

01. There Is Hope
02. Servant Of Servants
03. Mary, Mary
04. The Great Storm Is Over
05. He’ll Always Defend You
06. Still He Gives Love
07. May We Be One
08. In My Father’s House
09. When He Comes Again
10. The Bread Of Life
11. We Belong To You Alone

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Benson.