  |
|
|
|
by Jake Allen
I like the name by which acoustic trio NewFire labels their sound: "new-grass." But I'd say more folk than bluegrass, with a straight-ahead focus on worship.
NewFire is lead vocalist/guitarist Jonathan Firey, his wife vocalist Allison, and Louis Drapp, singer/guitarist. Their forte is acoustic folk with tight three-part harmonies, and “Almost Home” contains ten tracks of just that, with little deviation. “Almost Home” opens beautifully, with the track I enjoyed most, “Loving Hands.” Softly acoustic, its lush instrumentation is simply lovely, and the Scripture-saturated lyrics soar over some sweet fiddle/cello interplay. The title track follows, its smooth harmonies tight under the mandolin’s country flair. Each of these artists possess an abundance of abilities, and their particular blend of tones and talents is more than easy to listen to. The songs, most of them penned by Jonathan Firey and John P. Firey, are well constructed and tenderly performed. What’s lacking is diversity; this is a whole lot of mellow for one album. “Could You Not Pray?” is a quiet ballad, performed with heart-rending intensity, its mournful lyrics matched by an equally aching cello. A powerful song, but its effect is somewhat dissipated by the string of mellow tracks that follows. This is unfortunate, because these are good songs. “Magnificent Defeat,” the Wes King song NewFire performed on his tribute album, “Life is Precious,” features sparkling guitars, warm vocals, and expressive violin. Allison Firey’s quiet background vocals make “You’re the Reason” stand out, and guitarist Louis Drapp’s closer, “Die to Live,” contains much quiet passion. I think “Almost Home” could prove very valuable as a devotional worship tool. And I hate to come across negatively about music as well-performed as the songs of “Almost Home.” But I hope the next offering from NewFire will showcase greater diversity in terms of tempos and style. I believe they got it in ‘em to swing.
The copyright of the article NewFire: Almost Home in Christian Music is owned by Kevan Breitinger. Permission to republish NewFire: Almost Home in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
|
|
|
