ALBUM REVIEWS - CHAMPIONS, HERE & NOW, AND OUT OF THE BLUE BY TRACE BALIN

Trace Balin, photo courtesy of Discogs

 

I remember hearing Trace Balin on the radio in the late '80's, most notably "We Need Each Other" - a trio with Marty McCall (Fireworks, First Call) and Bob Carlisle (Allies, singer of "Butterfly Kisses"). However, I was blown away by her song "Never Let It Be Said," written by producer Jonathan David Brown, which is my all-time second favorite song (only to Steve Taylor's "I Just Wanna Know." 

For that reason, her second project "Here & Now" was added to my collection. I also had the honor of hearing her at a GMA Extravaganza Event and heard her do a four song set, including "We Need Each Other," with Marty and Bob joining her. However, I never broke down and got "Champions" or "Out Of The Blue." For the record, I'm not aware of any other projects. 

Three days before writing this, I turned off the shuffle feature and put on "Out Of The Blue." The next day, I finally listened to "Champions." And after listening, I asked myself, "Why did I wait so long?!"

So I'll review all three of her albums in one setting. 

Her first project was "Champions." I had forgotten the song "Only For You," let alone that Trace was the one who recorded it. I always loved that song. There are other great songs on this like "All I Wanna Do," "We Are An Army," "Rock' These Rafters," "Walk In The Spirit," "I Don't Deserve Your Love," and of course the title track and "We Need Each Other." 

As I mentioned earlier, "Here And Now" is the only album I've heard more than half a week ago. The title song is a great opening track, and has several songs I absolutely love on it: "If I Don't Have Love," "Eye Of the Hurricane," "When The Well Runs Dry," "Well Done," "Just Between You And Me," and her rendition of the classic hymn "All Hail The Power." And I dare not forget the haunting concluding number "Why Me?" and of course the above mentioned "Never Let It Be Said."

Last but not least is "Out Of The Blue." Three of the four songs I heard her do at the above mentioned concert were from this project. All her songs are great musically, but I found the words of this project to be challenging in a positive sense, right off with the opening track "Stranger." It contains another song I forgot about (and again that she did it): "Answer To Prayer." Other good songs include the title track, "Changes," "My Heart Is Set On You," "This Is Where," "Meet You In The Garden," "The Love We Know," "Walk It Out," and the final song "You Were My Last Hope."

If you never heard her, I recommend you check Trace Balin's albums out. You can find her projects on Discogs and on Spotify. You'll see why she's one of my favorite singers.