THE PRINCE OF EGYPT - NASHVILLE

Once upon a time there was a Dreamworks animated film called "The Prince Of Egypt". An excellent film and apparently popular enough with Christians to spawn it's own knock-off album full of songs inspired by the film. This country based tribute was found on Amazon used for something like .75 cents and I bought it basically because of the Alison Krauss tune. I wanted it and hadn't been able to find it to download. So I paid the price and got the disc.

Truthfully, I've never listened to this album completely through before I decided to do this project and review my collection. I tend to avoid mainstream country. My personal opinion of that genre is unflattering. I find the music extremely formulaic and unimaginative. Entire songs are written and based around a simple word play. Music arrangements are rarely inventive and exciting. That doesn't mean I don't like an occasional song here and there or that I'm anti-country. I just never hear anything that catches my ear.

This record is no exception. The Krauss track is absolutely incredible. It's a beautiful and heart rendering song. Of course it follows the plot of the film fairly faithfully, it still manages to sound good on its own beyond the basic premise of the movie. There are many songs on this disc I figured would be hugely popular with country audiences. There's country hit after country hit. Too bad I don't care much for country hits.

There are a few notes I'd like to make. I found the Mindy McCready track well written and enjoyable. I have no clue who this woman is, but I liked the vocal arrangement and the song's different sound. I know Faith Hill is a popular singer but her track 'Somewhere Down The Road' makes me wanna stab a fork in my head. I wish this song was "Somewhere Down The Road". I couldn't handle listening to it all the way through. It's a broken record that repeats the title line over and over relentlessly. It was just too much.

I liked Clint Black's 'Slavery, Deliverance And Faith'. It's just un-country enough to catch my attention. Especially the chorus. I can't quite put my finger on the style of performance this is. I know it's classical, but it's a welcome change from the repetitive, unoriginal material floating all over this record. Beth Neilsen Chapman follows Black with her contribution 'Godspeed'. The song continues the boring unending collection of mediocre tunes, but I did find myself liking her voice. She's not low and sultry or high and pretty. She's mid-range, but it's a very relaxed and uncluttered sound I find quite appealing. Too bad the song wasn't better.

I liked Alabama's song, 'The Voice'. To me, it sounds more like a 70's rock song than a country bit. Compared to the rest of the disc, I did enjoy the respite of this number. Overall, I don't like this record. The few points of interest I can find aren't enough to make it worth listening. I won't listen to this beyond my need to occasionally hear the Krauss track. I can live without most of it.

The biggest problem I have with praise or religious music is the limited vocabulary these artists use. They pick phrases and lines from scripture and rarely move beyond those concepts when structuring a lyric. I often find myself bored to tears listening to these numbers. I've always wanted to hear a religious group write music that dealt with real life and expanded themes beyond a scriptural context. The heavy devotion style of most of these songs is just overwhelming and so strong it makes me feel like running away as quickly as possible.

I'm strange in that for me spirituality has always been a private, personal thing. I prefer to commune with God internally not shout it from the rooftops. I know there's a huge popularity for those who feel the need to proclaim their faith and adoration. To me, that's exactly the kind of "Look at me worship! Aren't I the most dedicated and loyal Christian ever?" fake faith I find so distasteful. It almost seems like these artists are spending time competing to demonstrate who's the bigger God-fan. I'll pass. My final words: GENERIC PRAISE WRAPPED UP IN A TRIBUTE RECORD.

THE PRINCE OF EGYPT - NASHVILLE
01. Wynonna - Freedom
02. Randy Travis and Linda Davis - Make It Through
03. Alison Krauss - I Give You To His Heart
04. Steven Curtis Chapman - Heartbeat Of Hope
05. Pam Tillis - Milk And Honey
06. Vince Gill - Once In Awhile
07. Mindy McCready - Walk In Glory
08. Faith Hill - Somewhere Down The Road
09. Reba - Please Be The One
10. Clint Black - Slavery, Deliverance And Faith
11. Beth Nielsen Chapman - Godspeed
12. Alabama - The Voice
13. Gary Chapman - You Are My Light
14. Mac McAnally - The Moving Of The Mountain
15. Jessica Andrews - I Will Be There For You
16. Toby Keith - I Can't Be A Slave
17. Charlie Daniels - Could It Be Me