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Stories From The Heart Review

Bob Carlisle never expected "Butterfly Kisses" to even make it on the "Shades Of Grace" album. In fact, Carlisle was coerced by the record label to include the sensitive ballad. Flash forward to one determined disk jockey, and the rest, as they say is history. What folks don't realize is that Bob Carlisle is and was a pioneer in Christian music. He spent most of the 1980's in a hard rock (with soul) band called Allies. Vocally, Carlisle is as strong as Paul Carrack, Michael Bolton or Lou Gramm. And with the stakes raised a notch or two thanks to "Butterfly", the follow up pressure must have been incredible.

Well, regular radio was not friendly to "Stories From The Heart". But it contains two songs that are worth the entire price of the disc. "Father's Love" is the natural choice to follow "Kisses" onto AC radio. What happened? Could be the Christian thing. I know radio and I know music and it's likely if God or Jesus appears to much in a song, programmers are probably not jumping for joy. It's sad that every format seems to cross over with ease-except Christian. Especially when the lyrics and music are so much more suitable for rides in the station wagon. "Father's Love" is a brilliant story illustrating the depth and warmth of a father's love for his children. Bob Carlisle sings with such richness and control, that no melody is safe from enhancement. Enter "We Fall Down". A chilling story of a man's quest to learn about what goes on inside a monastery. Carlisle drags the lyric like a man climbing a hill with a 1000 pounds on his back. "We fall down and get up...the saints are just the sinners who fall down and get up..." Okay, so if the chills haven't set in, or the tears flowing, then do you have a pulse? Bob Carlisle is a master craftsman. Not cheesy or pretentious. He's been in this business for a long time. And his experience and talent are never more on display then on this collection. I highly reccomend it. P.S.-the other songs aren't bad either!!!

Review by: David Spuria, Amazon.com