Beating Time
I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
Alison Krauss & the Cox Family
Rounder. CD 0307. £14.99
(Available HMV)
Alison Krauss will be no stranger to devotees of 'new country' music as a fine singer and fiddle player. For this recording, made in 1994, she teams up with the Cox family to present a collection of gospel songs and the result is surprisingly endearing and encouraging for Christians, whether or not they are 'country' fans.
The reviewer knows nothing of the singer's personal beliefs, and, of course, the culture of the southern United States is steeped in 'old-time religion' and its language. However, the track of the well-known I'd rather have Jesus must be as beautiful and convincing a rendition as has ever been made. The genre may be too cheesy for some, but others of us like cheese, and cheesy does not necessarily mean phoney. Some may find that the Far bank of Jordan (which is on a par with Tell mother I'll be there) too sentimental to take. On the other hand the simple prayer Remind me dear Lord, with its emphasis on human weakness and Christ's Calvary work, will ring true for all believers. The inclusion of Paul Simons's Loves me like a rock, is mystifying. The other tracks all seem embedded in biblical faith and Christian experience. A particularly strong statement is made on In the Palm of Your Hand, to the effect that God is worth knowing, more than anything. There is plenty here to lead the listener's thoughts in a heavenward direction, and there are not many of us who do not need that these days.
