I could have predicted that the kids would like I Saw the Light, but I’m kinda surprised they liked Go Down Moses. I guess it makes sense considering the lyric.

The first song starts off with a percussion line that’s hard to distinguish from road noise, and I didn’t process that before the song finished. Now that I’m listening to it again, I still find it distracting.

I Saw the Light. My kids were singing that one all day. They love the video, as do I.

Calling You. Nice enough.

Be Thou My Vision. Nice performance.

I Stand All Amazed. For some reason the piano intro is a bit jarring, but it’s an interesting performance and is still worshipful as performed.

In the Sweet By and By. Wow. And what MCQ said.

Go Down, Moses. An unexpected piece, but one of our favorites on the album. My five-year-old was singing “Tell ol’ Pharaoh: Let my people go” all day. I found the song extremely touching — a long-term project of mine involves tracking down everything known about the 100 or so slaves who lived in Utah Territory, many of them just for three or four years, and this song said something about their experience that I don’t have words for.

Battle Hymn. Didn’t like it.

Ye Elders of Israel. Okay, so this isn’t in this album; it’s from their previous album, but I added it to the collection since it’s the best performance of this hymn ever. (Seriously. I’m working on a Cyrus Wheelock project and I listened to lots of versions last week.)

Nearer, My God, To Thee and I Need Thee Every Hour. I prefer different arrangements.

Where Can I Turn. One of those hymns I probably wouldn’t choose if I was in charge of the music at church, but this is very nice. I’d class it as one of the five best pieces on the album.

Where He Leads Me. Huh.

The Christian Life. I’m trying to convince one of my teenagers to perform this at the next ward talent show.

Where the Soul of Man. Hard to listen to in the car. Not my favorite performance, but it’s a nice introduction to a song with some beautiful sentiments.

We Are All Enlisted. That’s the only way this song should ever be performed.

God Be With You. Nice.

All in all, it’s a welcome change from the sound of the Tabernacle Choir. (And while I’ve been writing this comment and listening to the music, my kids came in repeatedly and kept requesting “I Saw the Light” and “Go Down, Moses.”)