Search - Ashley Cleveland :: Big Town

"The promise that it only gets better"

Brian DeForest | Grand Rapids, MI | 01/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Big Town" is the debut album from two time Grammy winner, Ashley Cleveland. From the opening bars of Andre Crouch's "Soon and Very Soon," it is clear that you are listening to something special. This is not your typical Christian album. It is filled with rare honesty. For me, "Walk to the Well" is the highlight the album. "Something is wrong with this picture, Inside a twisted frame, I thought I was a new creature, but I feel much the same."



Ashley sings with a powerful voice, but she also understands the power of restraint. She has a poet's heart, and these songs are filled with the emotion of hard lessons learned. Ashley's husband Kenny Greenberg is an amazing guitarist who never falls victim to playing a million notes at top speed when one right note (or a bit of feedback!) will do. Other musical highlights include backing vocals from Russ Taff, and a bit of piano from John Hiatt!



This album was released on Atlantic, and not distributed in Christian book stores. But the careful listener will appreciate why "Big Town" was named one of the "100 Best Christian Albums" by CCM magazine.



"The things that confound mortal minds are not impossible to God.""