Bill & Gloria Gaither and Their Homecoming Friends - Bill Gaither's 20 All-Time Favorite Homecoming Songs And Performances Vol 4

Reviewed by Gareth Paul Taylor

The prolific American gospel producer brings us this 2005 release of a 2003 compilation featuring songs from 1991-2002 - 'timeless'! It thus spans the years since Gaither, according to the liner notes, "decided he was in the twilight of his.career" (at 55!) but then "driven by nostalgia" drafted in his gospel heroes -birthing this very series. The whole CD is shamelessly nostalgic. Could fewer, longer CDs have been released in the series? Well, this 20-song volume turns in at a humble 76 minutes - almost as short as the title! I can imagine a dewy-eyed production team sitting around the mixing console saying "Aw, we just couldn't leave that one out!" And this is indicative of the nature of the whole series. The "homecoming" thread of the title runs through songs mostly themed around reuniting with the dear departed in kingdom come. The 18-strong gospel singers' obituary list on the back could now have been expanded to include the veteran bass singer George Younce of the Cathedrals who died last year, and features here in a gently rousing rendition of "Thanks To Calvary". Syrupy vocal swoops are here a-plenty, not least the solitary bass singer's swoop down at the end of more than one track! Expect nothing new - except some day soon a compilation of this compilation series! Buy if you must.