Janet Paschal

Treasure
Vine Records

On “Treasure,” Janet Paschal revisits her past with new recordings of 12 songs requested by her fans. Several remakes from her Nelons years are included as well as five tracks that originally appeared on her 1990 solo recording, “Language of the Heart.”

“Treasure” begins with the classic “We Shall Wear a Robe and Crown.” “I Am” and “Come See This Man” offer an easy listening, Anne Murray-styled contrast to the hard-driving opener. “God Rides on Wings of Love” is followed by “I’m the One” and “I Will Joy” to establish a pattern of two laidback selections for each energetic track.

The pattern plays out for the rest of the CD. “Jesus Is Alive and Well” leads into “Come Morning” and “Through Every Storm,” while “Hide Me Sweet Rock of Ages” is balanced by a slow duet with Ivan Parker titled “Sail for the Other Side” and “He’s Just as Real to Me.”

I enjoyed contrasting “Come Morning” with the original 1979 Nelons version. Thirty years later, Paschal’s anticipation for heaven is now expressed in richer, lower tones with greater authority and conviction: “So I’ll carry my cross through the midnight. Come morning, there’s glory for me.”
Indeed.     (By David Bruce Murray)