The Perrys

Blue Skies
Daywind

With a list of top songwriters dominating the credits, it would be surprising if The Perrys didn’t have high hopes for their latest Daywind project, “Blue Skies.”

Kyla Rowland wrote or co-wrote (penning Tracy Stuffle’s lone lead — “Nothing Was Burned But Their Bands” along with songwriting legend Dianne Wilkinson) four of the tracks on the project. Among the most impressive of those is “I Know  What I’m Singing About,” a tune that features the unmistakable vocal stylings of Libbi Stuffle backed by robust harmonies.

Songwriters Joel Lindsey and Wayne Haun — who also produced the project, managing to recreate a similar, smooth sound to what The Perrys possessed in the early 2000s — teamed up on three songs, including “Blue Skies” and “Celebrate Me Home.”

Lindsey and Haun also teamed up with Steven Carey to pen “He Loves To Save,” one of the two tracks featuring the group’s newest addition, baritone vocalist Bryan Walker. While that song has a considerable country sound due to the steel guitar and fiddle, Walker’s other song to shine on is the final track, Keith Tanner and Russell McQuaig’s “The End Of The Aisle.” Conversely, it has considerably more orchestration, with the lead guitar and organ helping to create a smooth but distinctive punch. Walker’s confident, relaxed vocals are a significant reason for the project’s smooth overall sound.

Lead singer Joseph Habedank helped write three songs, combining with Sue C. Smith on “Sounds Good To Me,” teaming up with Haun on “Celebrate Me Home” and joining forces with Kelly Garner and Amy Keffer Shellem to comprise “Grace Doesn’t Remember,” a big ballad with a simple but powerful message that builds in intensity throughout.

The only older cut on the project also is a highlight, Allen Frazier’s 1938 “His Love Lights The Way.” The convention-style hymn consists primarily of ensemble vocals, though Libbi takes the lead in the chorus as the harmonies tightly trail. It is one of the most high-energy songs among the 11 cuts.

If the up-tempo numbers are a must-have, “Blue Skies” may not be the ideal project. However, despite the fact that the material consists almost entirely of mid-tempo songs and ballads, it is signature Perrys music with a full sound and tight blend. Thanks due in large part to Haun’s well-constructed arrangements, the tracks possess energy despite the slower tempos (coming about as a result of both the musical and harmonic configurations). Perrys fans will not be disappointed.