Free to Fly
When artists can't bank on recording their own material, song selection and performance are crucial. Point of Grace, with their angelic four-part harmonies, have built a decade-long successful career in this style, tallying numerous No. 1 singles and inspiring a number of sound-alikes in the process. The four gals from Arkansas return with their first regular studio release in three years withFree to Fly, perhaps their finest effort to date. They sing their way through a most diverse collection of songs, the high point of which is clearly "Praise Forevermore," a soaring and majestical praise-and-worship tune penned by the brilliantDarlene Zschech(Hillsongs Australia). "Begin with Me," a punchy and muscular anthem, showcases the girls' five-star harmonies, as does "Blue Skies" and the rocking "Something So Good." For a different spin, the group includes the urban R&B-infused; "Free Indeed" and the quiet and lilting ballad "La La La."Free to Flyshould keep old fans happy and make some new ones in the process.--Michael Lyttle