Pure Love, released on Daywind Records, is one of the most anticipated releases of 2019. It is the first Legacy Five release to feature baritone Bryan Walker and tenor vocalist Lee Black (who replaced long time baritone & founding member Scott Howard and tenor Josh Feemster) have joined lead vocalist & group founder Scott Fowler, bass singer Matt Fouch and pianist Josh Townsend. This project received a lot of hype from the group and generated quite a bit of anticipation so I thought we would do a review to match that. Joining me in this MEGA Review are my friends Brandon Coomer of Coomer Cove and Wes Burke of Burke’s Brainwork.
Brian: Right off the bat, this song really lets the listener know what they are in for. Definitely one of the most progressive things I’ve ever heard the group do and very well done.
Wes: This midtempo new-grass song reveals immediately that this isn’t the same old Legacy 5. Scott Fowler uses a bit of a hushed tone and almost speak-sings the verses. It’s a solid start.
Brandon: Echoing Brian and Wes, but this is a great opening song, letting the listener know that this is a new era for Legacy Five.
Brian: This song is the first radio single off Pure Love and it is without a doubt, the most powerful song on the project. Walker, Fowler, and Black are featured on the verses and do a fantastic job of building the song. Just like I Stand Redeemed and I Found Grace, What Kind of Man may very well become a signature song for L5.
Wes: This is the pick of the project for me. Tremendous lyrics that are structured well. The verses are somewhat different than you expect, it almost seems like there’s structurally line missing, but it gets you into that great chorus quickly. I love the way they trade the leads building up the vocal parts. This is a great song that could be a landmark song for the group.
Brandon: Talk about this song reminded me of the buildup before the 2016 release of another Legacy Five song, “In The Hands Of The Carpenter,” a song I didn’t feel lived up to the hype. I was honestly expecting the same thing with “What Kind Of Man,” but I am glad to say I was wrong. Not only does it give the listener a chance to hear both of the new vocalists, it also lets you hear the new energy and freshness that Scott Fowler’s voice seems to have found.
- What Makes Believers Believe
Brian: This is another great song that I can hear as a concert opener. Well written and sang with great feeling, it’s got a great feel and one of my favorites on the project.
Wes: This is a nice contrast from the previous cut and is a solid message song. The focus is more on the lyrics than the vocals.
Brandon: This song is a good reminder that even with the group’s new sound and members, they still have the blend to deliver a nice, smooth song with a good message.
Brian: When Lee Black was announced as the group’s tenor, it was unknown what he would bring to the group vocally but he has certainly done an exceptional job. He has a very pleasing tone, more natural than Feemster that reminds me somewhat of Chris Allman in certain tones, but also unlike anyone else in SG. Black wrote Love, Pure Love, and does a fantastic job on the song
Wes: I agree with Brian, Lee Black is a pleasant surprise in the tenor slot. He’s been a top tier songwriter in SG for a while now, but he’s got a great tenor voice. This song illustrates what he brings to the table: great songwriting coupled with great tenor vocals. Another pick of the project for me.
Brandon: This is one of my favorite songs on the project. This song grabbed my attention as soon as I heard it on the announcement video that introduced Black and Walker to the group. I love the energy that Black brings to the song and the tenor vocalist spot.
Brian: I really love this song, featuring Walker on the verses. A very well written song about the Bible and fits Bryan like a glove.
Wes: I’m a big fan of Bryan Walker, and he’s a perfect choice to replace Scott Howard. Still as solid a baritone as you’ll find anywhere, but totally different from Howard. This song really fits his voice well.
Brandon: Along with the previous track, this is my favorite on the project, even though it is more in line with the group’s previous sound. I’ve always been a fan of Walker’s voice and was excited to hear him showcased on a great song with powerful message.
Brian: This is another song that is outside the box for L5, but done very well.
Wes: This is a nice uptempo tune with some light brass backing. Fowler does a great job on the verses, but the majority of the song is quartet vocals that show off the blend of this lineup.
Brian: Originally recorded by Joseph Habedank on his debut solo project, this arrangement features bass vocalist Matt Fouch. The horns give it a nice feel, reminiscent to me of the Cathedrals “He Made A Change”. I almost expected them to bring the chorus in at the end.
Wes: Matt Fouch is one of the best bass singers in SG. He does a wonderful job on this song that has a bit of a soul feel to it.
Brandon: Brian mentioned this, but I want to express appreciation to the group and the producer for not taking the easy and now cliched route of inserting a chorus of a previous hit into a newer song as a bridge or tag. The horn arrangement on the kick off is enough of a call back to “He Made A Change”.
Brian: Another one of my favorite cuts, featuring Fowler on the verses. This song has a Brian Free & Assurance vibe to it, but L5 nails it. Scott Fowler really sounds energized on this project and it’s a pleasure to hear.
Wes: Brian is right on, this sounds like a Brian Free and Assurance tune, but Legacy 5 kills it, which shows the versatility of this lineup. I love this song too, and I hope to hear more songs in this style from L5, as it fits their current voices perfectly.
Brian: Another Great Lee Black feature. Has a Beatles-esque vibe musically to me in some spots. It’s not really a group song, but it is well done.
Wes: This is a catchy tune featuring Lee Black. This song will remind listeners a bit of the Imperials’ huge hit, Sail On. It has a similar feel, including the prominent “old, rare, black Angus cowbell.” I really enjoy this song, and the lyrics are really clever.
Brandon: This is the second cover of a song previously recorded by Joseph Habedank on the CD. It is a fun feature for Black and his more natural sounding tenor vocal. The only negative on this track is that it would fit just as much on a Lee Black solo project as a group project. I would have liked an updated arrangement that sounded more like a quartet featuring the tenor instead of a solo song with background vocals.
Wes: A bouncy, mid-tempo song that features Scott Fowler, whose vocals sound like he has a fresh energy behind his singing. Another solid cut.
Brian: I really like the vocals on this song, it’s great evidence of what this lineup can do vocally.
Wes: This song is reminiscent of Curtis Mayfield’s classic “People Get Ready” and features Fouch and Black. Lee shows a little bit of soul chops. It’s a good easy song to close the disc.
Brandon: I love Fouch and Black’s vocals here. Fouch, Fowler, and Walker make a good trio on the first chorus before Black comes in for the second verse.
Conclusion:
Brian: Like most of the Cathedrals Legacy Groups, L5 has always had a very distinctive sound ever since their formation. However, the departure of Scott Howard was a huge change that affected the groups blend. Pure Love is the PERFECT project for this lineup, it is without a doubt the most progressive thing the groups has ever done and I applaud Scott Fowler for being brave enough to try something different. I must also give Wayne Haun & Trey Ivey credit for bringing a fresh sound to the production of this project. In an age where too many groups are sounding alike, it’s nice to hear a recording that is outside of the box stylistically. Fowler has something great going here, I am hopeful that this lineup will stay together long enough to produce to some more great music. Pure Love is without a doubt, the best recording of 2019 I’ve heard. This project is a MUST have, congrats to Legacy Five!
Wes: I was at the debut concert of the new lineup, and I came away that night anxiously awaiting this CD. The group has a new energy that permeated the entire concert. Lee Black is the highest tenor since Frank Seamans, and the higher range has really opened up the sound of the group. Bryan Walker has a more pop/soul sounding voice that again lends itself to the higher energy behind the group’s sound. This album primarily features Black of the two new guys, so I’ll be waiting to hear how they continue to take advantage of Walker’s vocals on subsequent albums. Fowler sounds like someone has lifted a huge weight off of his shoulders, with several of his vocals sounding like they could have been lifted off of a Cathedrals album of 20+ years ago. Fouch really impressed me at the concert and continues to do so here. A nice smooth bass sound without trying to see how low he can go (which is still really low). This CD shows a lot of promise for the new Legacy Five, and they should all be extremely proud of their efforts. It’s a fantastic listen!
Brandon: To be honest, I thought that Legacy Five’s sound, like A LOT of southern gospel groups, had gotten bland and boring over the years. That’s understandable – most southern gospel fans (and industry insiders) tend to like the status quo and reward groups that don’t change their members or their sound. With two vocalists changing before this project, I was in the chorus with others wondering if Scott Fowler should hire a lead and move to baritone himself to freshen up the group’s sound. Fowler ignored us by hiring Walker, but this project demonstrates that he knows what he’s doing. I love the new Legacy Five and this project that introduces them. A new energy permeates every song on the CD and Fowler sounds just as good now as he did with the Sound and the Cathedrals. The group has a fresher sound but Fowler didn’t need to move to baritone to establish it and they still show that they can do songs in their traditional style as well. Scott Fowler and the other members of Legacy Five should be extremely proud of this project. I’m excited to hear how the group continues in the future.
Review copy NOT provided.
The project kicks off with an acapella song, Just Drink The Water, which is a new song, that has a great tempo and is done well. Next up is an uptempo song, “Come To The Well, which is the first radio single and features Rice. These songs are straight up Arthur’s alley and he knocks it out of the park as always. Chapman is featured on the next track, “Everything In Between“, which is a wonderful straight up, quartet tune. The band makes their first instrumental appearance on the Elvis favorite, “Cryin In The Chapel“. Loren Harris steps up to take his first feature on “I Have Overcome“, which is the first of four songs written/co-written by Dianne Wilkinson. One of my favorite songs on the project, it’s a great lyric written from the perspective of Jesus that tells the believer there is nothing we can’t overcome because of the finished work of Calvary.
Fuson's Findings 