Beyond the Barriers

Description

Beyond the Barriers is an instrumental album by the American singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and arranger Tom Howard, released on Myrrh Records in November 1991, a division of Word. Also manufactured and distributed by Epic, a division of Sony Music. The album was recorded by Chris Taylor at The Bakery Recording Studios in North Hollywood, California; with Tom Howard producing. Additional engineering by Jim Scott and Joe Bellamy assisted by Chris Lilley. Mixed by Taylor at Crossroads Studios in Santa Ana, California. Arranged, orchestrated, and conducted by Tom Howard who also composed all the songs (except the trad. “Wayfaring Stranger”, arranged by Howard).

Surely one of the hardest working men in America’s CCM industry; film scores, pop gospel, praise and worship albums, Tom’s done it all. But presumably, these instrumental albums, which he commenced with Maranatha’s Colours series some years back, are closest to his heart and this, to my ears, his most satisfying so far. At times there’s a hint of jazz, it could almost have been Art Tatum on the opener, more often it’s a relaxed, meditative approach, partly recalling his classical musical roots (witness the Bach-style fugue on «Joseph’s Magical Parade») and partly the film scores of a Henry Mancini. His deft arrangement of the old hymn «Wayfaring Stranger» worked particularly well. The piano embellishments are never overdone and never descend to Richard Clayderman territory, while the string and woodwind orchestrations are used sparingly to keep it the right side of muzak. Use it as an aid to meditation or superior background music. ‘Beyond The Barriers’ (complete with a fine sleeve painting) is excellent. But it’s a long, long way from those Jesus rock days he once spent with Larry Norman. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, February 1992]

CD tracklist:

01. Driving Through The Rain – 5:21
02. From This Old Steeple – 5:16
03. October Dawn – 5:29
04. Joseph’s Magical Parade – 4:11
05. Within The Silent Room – 3:46
06. Dancing Out Of Bounds – 3:34
07. This Time Of The Night – 5:24
08. Long For You – 3:10
09. Wayfaring Stranger – 4:17
10. A Whisper Through The Veil – 5:27

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Myrrh Records. (The Epic edition features the same songs, though with a slightly different tracklist order.)