Get the scoop on the new release from up and coming worship artist Darrell Smith whose new CD features background vocals from Ayiesha Woods.
Darrell Smith maybe better known in the area around San Antonio, Texas, at the moment, but don’t be surprised if fans of contemporary Christian music begin to hear his name on a more national scale soon. Smith’s newest project, “Pocket of Light”, will be released on Friday, September 15. If you are in the San Antonio area and want to be a part of this event, check out the website of the host church, Riverside Community at www.theriversidecommunity.com for directions and times.
The overall vibe of the CD is influenced by worship artists like Chris Tomlin as Smith has been leading worship at a local congregation for the past eleven years. . Smith has written all the songs that appear on this volume. He gets a little help on a couple of the tracks from Ayiesha Woods who has made quite a splash in the CCM world in the last two years. While many of the songs sounds similar, there is enough variety to make the entire project easy to listen to and the depth of writing makes it worthy of many repeat playbacks.
· Feed Your Fire - Expresses in words what many worship leaders feel, namely the pressure to feed other believers in order that they continue to grow. The chorus will get you hooked and you’ll find yourself singing this throughout the day.
· Closer to You – Examines the work that it takes for a marriage to survive in a culture that is increasingly hostile toward the traditional view of marriage. The tune is familiar but the words give us a transparent look into the lives of a husband and wife.
· Pocket of Light – The title song features guest vocals by Ayiesha Woods and a haunting melody on the piano. The song deals with the all-to-familiar theme of missing people who need to hear the gospel in our often too busy lives.
· Shame on Me – This song has a slightly country feel to it with the guitar and harmonica features. Smith tries to answer the question of how the “outside” world views a life of faith and grace through the lives of average believers. It’s a refreshing approach and should make the hearer think about their own projections.
· All I Have – A melodious offering that reveals the fallacy of thinking that we are in control of our lives and the real need to give it all to God in order to find rest for our souls.
· Love Like You – Smith offers a tribute to his grandmother’s life and illustrates the important principle that our lives may be the first and only Bible people outside the church ever read. It might remind the older listeners of a Rich Mullins effort in that the melody moves along the story line. It’s a little slow, but sometimes slow is powerful!
· More of You – Don’t get too caught up in the melody on this song. It sounds like a few others you might mistake it for, but the message is definitely different. It calls us to take a look at the sorrow in our lives as a place where we need the Lord to take us into to show us our need for more of Him.
· Shouting At Whispers – This song points out our tendency to want God to speak to us in shouts and glorious displays of His majesty instead of being satisfied to hear His whispers. Again the melody sounds a little familiar, but overall it’s a good message to hear again.
· Start Over Again – An upbeat commentary on the rat race that runs so many lives, even among the church. The almost southern rock feel betrays the meaning found in the lyrics. Pay attention to the words or you’ll get lost.
· Have Been Claimed – This song may be the one that sticks with you the most. The tune moves you along and the words strike a cord in the life of the believer that we have been claimed and that is what should define our lives.
· Pearl of Poison – Lyrically this song is tough to figure out without the liner notes. It’s almost like the writer should have added a little more to let the listener in on his thoughts. Once you read the note, you’ll get the message of the song.
· Take It Away – The last song features background vocals by Woods again and is a humorous rendition of the overuse of all those sayings to say someone is stupid without actually calling them stupid. It reminds the listener not to take themself to seriously. After all, God can take away all the mistakes and dumb things that everyone occasionally does.
The CD is available from Darrell Smith directly or can be downloaded fromiTunes or from Darrell’s myspace page. For more information on how to secure this new CD from a talented singer and songwriter, visit Chapter Three Ministries at http://www.chapter3ministries.org/index.html.
