Sheltering Tree
Over its career, this former fraternity of now solo artists Charles Billingsley and Russ Lee has been about as dependable as‚ well, death and taxes (though, the group's music is admittedly a lot more enjoyable). None of that has changed with the release ofSheltering Tree.Of course, reliability isn't the most thrilling trait in the world. But when a firm foundation is your goal, it's hard to beat. In this area,Sheltering Treedoes not disappoint. Think of the album as the musical and lyrical equivalent of chicken noodle soup: pleasantly familiar, warm and nourishing, but unlikely to make you chew too hard. Guest vocals by Fred Hammond, Charlie Peacock, Carolyn Arends, Rebecca St. James, Natalie Grant and Third Day's Mac Powell add dimension to the title track, while NewSong's own Leonard Ahlstrom, acting as producer, leads the group into slightly divergent territory in the flamenco-flavored "Defining Moment." But for the most part, even with the addition of two new members, the verdict remains: Different day. Same old comfort. --Shari MacDonald(c) 2000 CCM Communications, Inc. --From CCM Magazine -- Subscribe Now!