Description
The self-titled and third studio album by the American singer Susan Ashton was released on Sparrow Records in October 1993. The album was produced by Wayne Kirkpatrick.
Some say that the third time’s the charm, but singer Susan Ashton didn’t have to wait that long to find success with her special brand of acoustic-driven music. And this latest album, her third, brings together more of the exceptional writing skills of songwriter/producer Wayne Kirkpatrick with Ashton’s warm and flexible vocals.
As much as any of Ashton’s albums are a celebration of her incredible voice, each of her projects is equally a representation of the many talents of Wayne Kirkpatrick. He writes nine of the 10 songs here (with help from Phil Madeira, Billy Sprague, Allen Shamblin and Jimmy Abegg), serves as the producer and even contributes piano, guitar and background vocal parts throughout the project.
The songs, naturally, are well-written and hold that poetic flair that Kirkpatrick has so capably expressed in Ashton’s prior works. The opener, «Summer Solstice», deals with faith grown cold. “It must have been the summer solstice/ When I first gave my heart to You/ The first day of a brand new season/ …It must have been my adolescence/ That pulled me from my childlike faith/ But what I thought to be maturity/ Was just neglect that I tried to vindicate.” The presence of Out of the Grey‘s Christine Dente on background vocals doesn’t hurt either as the mix of the two voices is beautiful. (Billy Gaines, DC Talk‘s Michael Tait, Ashley Cleveland and Donna McElroy join a host of others to pitch in some bgv’s on other songs.)
A hint of the country influence we all knew Ashton had comes apparent in «Waiting for Your Love to Come Down» while a surprise jazz/funk style emerges with the groovin’ bass line in «Remember Me». «There is a Line» takes the formula Ashton/Kirkpatrick sound and puts it with some lyrics listeners will find encouraging in their daily walk – “My convictions, they define who I am/ Some move the boundaries at any cost/ But there is a line I will not cross/ No riding on the fence, no alibis/ No building on the sands of compromise/ I won’t be borrowed and I can’t be bought/ There is a line I will not cross.”
Forget hints – «Call of the Wild» spells country all over with some smooth guitars and a nice harmonica adding a campfire feel to a story song that tells the tale of a young man leaving his responsibilities for life in the fast lane. One listen and you’ll be dying to see a video on this one. And the last two songs on the album certainly seem possible fits for country radio with «No Remedy of Love» capitalizing in the head-over-heels aspect of love, a concept newlywed Ashton can relate to. But the closer on the album will be the one to live on in the minds and heart of its listeners for a long time to come. «A Rose is a Rose» puts Ashton’s vocals way out front over a simple piano and violin melody, and the addition of J.D. Cunningham’s vocals (Ashton’s husband) on the second verse give the song an added depth that’ll give you chills.
Although Ashton’s vocal delivery has captured even more passion on this project than earlier ones, musically this album seems to be missing some of the driving energy found on ‘Wakened By the Wind‘ and ‘Angels of Mercy‘ on songs like «Down on My Knees», «Here in My Heart», and «Walk on By». But Kirkpatrick’s songwriting ability is nearly unparalleled on the Christian marketplace in communicating messages that deal directly with the heart, and Ashton’s strong vocals have found a home in the poet’s words. ‘Susan Ashton’ will quickly become a part of many Christian music lover’s libraries, and there’s a chance that country music listeners may soon discover the not-so-new voice on this self-titled project. [April Hefner, CCM, December 1993]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/susan-ashton/724479809)
CD tracklist:
01. Summer Solstice – 7:30
02. Waiting For Your Love To Come Down – 4:52
03. Remember Not – 3:51
04. There Is A Line – 4:31
05. Heart Like A Rock – 5:13
06. Agree To Disagree – 3:50
07. Hold The Intangible – 5:09
08. Call Of The Wild – 4:47
09. No Remedy For Love – 4:56
10. A Rose Is A Rose – 5:09
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Sparrow Records.
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