Description
Return to Paradise is the eleventh studio album by the American singer and songwriter Randy Stonehill, released on Myrrh Records in 1989, a division of Word. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed February-June 1989 by Mark Heard at his studio Fingerprint Recorders in Montrose, California; with Stonehill co-producing. All songs written by Randy Stonehill, except “I Don’t Ever Want To Live Without You” written by Pierce Pettis (and originally recorded by Pettis on his 1988-album, While the Serpent Lies Sleeping), “This Friend Of Old” written by David Edwards, and “Strong Hand of Love” written by Mark Heard (recorded by Heard as well on his 1990-album, Dry Bones Dance).
It’s been almost 15 years since Randy Stonehill recorded Welcome to Paradise, his first nationally-distributed album, and for many fans, the one to which all that followed were inevitably compared to. Surely this must be puzzling to an artist whose career has spanned nearly 20 years, and has been filled with great songs and great performances. The problem, some would say, is that Stonehill hasn’t always made great records. With the exception of ’86 The Wild Frontier, where producer Dave Perkins helped Stonehill pull the stops out on a larger-than-life rocker, most albums have failed to capture the intimacy and energy that is Randy Stonehill as well as that early classic.
But good things come to those who wait. And Stonehill seems to have found a sympathetic and sensitive ear in the multi-talented Mark Heard, who has engineered on earlier albums, but who takes the reins of production here, resulting in a collection of songs that both harken back to the aforementioned masterpiece and still sit squarely and handsomely in the present tense. This album’s title is no accident. But neither is it an attempt to duplicate an earlier formula. What made Welcome… great is true of this Return… – great songs and production that emphasizes the feel of the performance rather than the ‘perfect take’.
In fact, the production is so sparse it’s almost invisible, with Stonehill front and center with his acoustic guitar mixed high enough to hear and remember what a fine player he really is. Additional instrumentation is limited to other primarily acoustic instruments, many played by Heard. The Spotlight rests clearly on the singer and his songs, and there isn’t a bad one in the batch. Nor is there the requisite ‘looney tune’ from Uncle Rand, in the tradition of «American Fast Food» or «Lung Cancer». This is a mature and thoughtful album from one of the few songwriters in Christian music whose lyrics occasionally achieve a true sense of the poetic (listen to «Starlings» and «True Blood» – one of the prettiest praise songs I’ve heard in quite a while). Stonehill is also a storyteller and the tales told on songs like «You Can Still Walk Tall», «Christmas at Denny’s» and «Weight of the Sky» are ones we need to hear in the 90’s, affirming the God-given dignity in all of His creations.
Return to Paradise may well become the quintessential Randy Stonehill album for the second phase of his career. He’s made albums that are bigger, louder, and funnier, but he’s never made one better that this. [Thom Granger, CCM, October 1989]
Thirteen years ago Randy Stonehill released what many consider to be his best album ever. ‘Welcome To Paradise‘ is indeed a classic, voted by critics in these pages to be one of the best Christian album’s ever recorded. An album that included such gems as «King of Hearts», «Keep Me Runnin» and many others. Since then Stonehill has experimented with many contemporary styles, but always it was these classics that brought the greatest response from his fans during live concerts. Old and familiar, one could always sense the urgency and importance of these songs as Stonehill sang them. One wondered if would ever return to the passion and conviction of songs that, for all their-acoustic simplicity, could mesmerize an audience. Now, thirteen years later, Randy Stonehill makes his ‘Return To Paradise’.
A sequel of sorts, ‘Return To Paradise’ brings back the strong acoustic guitar work that’s always been Stonehill’s trademark in concert, if not on disc. This is the recording that Stonehill’s fans of old have been clamoring for. Gone are the Springsteenian “big guitars” of ‘The Wild Frontier‘, and the 80s-style rock ‘n’ roll of ‘Can’t Buy A Miracle‘ is all but non-existent. What we have here is coffee-house, 70s-style, folk-inspired music of the Jesus movement that’s relevant for today and speaks to our tomorrows.
In simple straight forward fashion ‘Return To Paradise’ tells us stories of life, love and faith. «Starlings» of the innocence of childhood, comparing lost birds with lost persons. «Stand Like Steel», a tribute to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and South African ex-patriot Stephen Biko, who spoke out against injustice and died for truth. The worshipful «True Blood» stirs our hearts toward our savior, while «Weight of the Sky» tells the story of friends who have suffered in life (“Sometimes living feels harder than dying/ Sometimes if feels like we’re trapped in between”).
Musically, Stonehill’s warm six string styling stands out, so that it all but drowns out the backing band, courtesy of producer Mark Heard, who provides some subtle lead guitar to many of the tunes. Heard’s production is stripped back and simple, neither excessively raw or polished, emphasizing Stonehill’s natural live communicative abilities. A little mandolin here, steel guitar there, with all the instrumentation layered evenly behind Stonehill’s voice and guitar, often recorded without overdubs.
Altogether, Stonehill has achieved his pinnacle. ‘Return To Paradise’ touches down to the heart, to the very soul. Stonehill proves he is a master storyteller, with songs that matter and touch the senses. In short, ‘Return To Paradise’ is a masterpiece. Let’s hope Stonehill is back to stay. [Steve Greenfield, Harvest Rock Syndicate, Issue 3, 1989 (Volume 4)]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/return-to-paradise/1165962052)
CD tracklist:
01. Starlings – 5:00
02. Stand Like Steel – 4:55
03. I Don’t Ever Want To Live Without You – 4:10
04. This Friend Of Old – 4:00
05. You Can Still Walk Tall – 5:00
06. True Blood – 5:02
07. Strong Hand Of Love – 2:54
08. Christmas At Denny’s – 5:53
09. Love Tells No Lies – 4:20
10. Weight Of The Sky – 3:28
11. Ready To Go – 4:44
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Myrrh Records. Available at Bandcamp:
https://randystonehill.bandcamp.com/album/return-to-paradise
https://randystonehill.bandcamp.com/album/return-to-paradise-radio-special-1989
A full-page advertisement for Randy Stonehill’s album Return to Paradise was featured in issue 4, 1989 of Harvest Rock Syndicate Magazine.
CREDITS. Produced by Mark Heard with Randy Stonehill. Recorded and mixed by Mark Heard at Fingerprint Recorders February-June 1989. Tracks recorded at Neverland. Second engineers: Gary Gerhart, Dan Reed, Stephen Padgett, Derri Daugherty, Dave Hackbarth. Mastered by by Tom Baker at Future Disc. Photography by Linda Krikorian. Art Direction and Design by Karl Shields for Pacific Art and Light. Executive Producer: Tom Willett.
Musicians: Randy Stonehill (Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals, BGV on track 3), Mark Heard (Mandolin, Accordion, Electric Guitars, Tambourine on track 7, Bass on track 2 and 9), Pam Dwinell (Backing Vocals), Phil Keaggy (Classical Guitar on track 3, Twelve-String Guitar on track 9), Greg Leisz (Lap Steel Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar), Joe Weed (Fiddle, Viola), David Miner (Acoustic Bass), Bill Batstone (Fretless Bass), Tom Willett (Bass on track 7), Doug Mathews (Drums), David Baker (Percussion).
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.