Imagine my surprise upon listening to the first song on the CD “You Make Us Want to Sing”. It’s absolutely NOT fun and pop-py like SheDaisy. Thinking that the other songs would be different, I continued listening only to realize that the songs are all the same. And boring.

Before I even looked at the CD insert, I knew that Jenny Phillips’ hand had been on the album. Sure enough, all of the songs were either written or co-written by Phillips. That’s not to say that Phillips’ isn’t talented, because she most certainly is. However, each CD that she releases is starting to sound exactly the same as the next one. Mercy River has the great misfortune of being just another one of Jenny Phillips’ CDs. There’s nothing unique about the voices that makes them different from any other group. Their harmonies are generic, their songs are bland, and frankly, the best thing they have going for them is their marketing director because their album photography is amazing.

If you’re a fan of Jenny Phillips, you’re definitely going to like Mercy River. But if you’re thinking that this is going to be a new and unique addition to LDS music, think again.

You can find Mercy River at LDS retailers near you or online at www.deseretbook.com. You can also visit Mercy River’s website at www.mercyrivermusic.com.

I must be honest, however. Frogley’s album, Beautiful Life includes not only the new album, but also a free bonus disc with some of her best songs. I listened to the bonus disc first to see if I recognized any of the songs. Sure enough, hits like “His Hands” (from Kenneth Cope’s Greater than Us All), “A Woman’s Heart” (from Women of Destiny) and “These Are the Days” (from Best of EFY) triggered my memory (and my love) of Frogley’s voice. Next, I popped in the new album only to discover the songs from the bonus disc playing! I don’t know if this is a mistake on the reviewer’s copy that LDSreview.net received or if it’s a problem with production, but I was very disappointed. I have listened to the album on Frogley’s website (see below), and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Dare I say she sounds a bit like Kelly Clarkson? That’s a huge compliment, in my book.

You can find Beautiful Life at an LDS retailer near you, or online at www.deseretbook.com. For information on Jenny Jordan Frogley, visit www.JennyJordanFrogley.com.

Read more for our review of the new album Last Man Standing. Already a Shupe fan? Pick up the new CD or digital download from Amazon or grab it from iTunes.

I have to reveal my bias – that I’ve been a Shupe fan for years. I think its relevant to say that this new album is every bit as good as previous efforts and for the same reasons. For diehard Rubber BAnd fans, that will be enough.

If you’re new to the band you should know that they are difficult to categorize. When I loaded toe album on my iPod, I immediately changed the genre from country, because that didn’t seem right. The band has the beat and drive of a rock group, but employs instruments (banjo, violin) that belong to folk. The result is a refreshing mix of folk-ish sound and smooth melody that carries you though lyrics that are moving, thoughtful and sometimes just fun.

The Rubber Band’s sound – and specifically this album is a rare example of what popular music was like before we indulged over-produced artificially-enhanced mega stars. Last Man Standing is a collection of great tunes after the tradition of making down-to-earth music. There will be no dance remixes or over-dubbed chorus, just sincere melodic songs that evoke genuine thoughts and emotions.

But enough about music philosophy. Lets run down the tracks:

The albums starts of with a light rock-ish tune “Don’t Leave me Lonely” that moves nicely and has a bit of a country feeling bridge. The title track “Last Man Standing” is a very Shupe song, with driving beat and the requisite violin and banjo and light-hearted lyrics. “Please Be Mine” is another romantic proposal similar to “Don’t Leave me Lonely” and is the first of several tracks that make great use of backing vocals.

“All I Need” is a methodic, slow romantic tune with the pacing of a rock ballad. “So” was one of my favorite from the start – with humorous but easy-to-relate-to lyrics about the cruelty of fate. The chorus has a beat and vocal harmony that will stick in your head all day. “10,000 Lakes” is a flowing insightful country-ish song followed by the distinctly latin sounding “If You Could Live a Different Life” and the rowdy country “My Life”.

“Lonely Person” is another country sounding song about, well, loneliness. The album is rounded out by “Be the One”, another upbeat pop-folk song similar to “Please be Mine” and “Last Man Standing”. And, die-hard fans will recognize and love the humorous “Corn Dogs”.

Last Man Standing is another great album by a truly unique set of artists. I recommend it to country and rock fans alike.