Category Archives: Rachel

Sing To Your Mountain Reviews

Rachel PhotoRachel has a couple new reviews on her new album, “Sing To Your Mountain.” Go and check them out!

 

 

 

 

Let Us Make A Record  9/3/2015

“Sing to Your Mountain” by Rachel [a review]
September 3, 2015

When I look at what is happening at Great Comfort Records, I am reminded of the gospel record labels of yesteryear—those many companies that sprang up in the early days of vinyl, in the inner city side streets of Cleveland and Chicago and elsewhere, where families and congregations were making vibrant spiritual music with what appeared to be little regard for the mass market process. They didn’t always have the most polished sound, but what they did have in abundance was plain, unfiltered joy. Great Comfort’s newest release, Sing to Your Mountain by Rachel, continues that same tradition of exuberant melody makers wrecking joyful havoc upon unsuspecting listeners. Rachel and friends are making music for the sheer joy of worship. A member of brother Daniel’s Danielson Familie, and daughter of hymnist Lenny Smith, Rachel has found a middle ground between the former’s unusual arrangements and the latter’s love of Biblical poetry. Her songs are full of peace and longing and aggression. Her whispering voice carries each tune, drawing wayward melodies back to earth, lest they escape into the stratosphere. It’s worship music, sure, but not in a genre-type sense. It’s worship music because she sings with conviction and fire and of course, plain, unfiltered joy.

The Even Ground  8/27/2015

 

“Sing To Your Mountain” RELEASED!

Rachel Artwork 300After four years of labor and love, Great Comfort Records is proud to introduce our newest artist, “Rachel,” and her debut album, “Sing To Your Mountain.”

It is now AVAILABLE FOR SALE in CD and digital formats!

Rachel Galloway, the daughter of Lenny Smith (Our God Reigns) and member of the indie-rock band Danielson, has created an album of spiritual songs to the Creator and has shared them with her family who came along-side her with instruments and voice. The album has been mixed and produced by brother Daniel C. Smith of Danielson and Sounds Familyre record label.

Head on over to her artist page to get to know her and then head over to Bandcamp to peruse the album and make a purchase!

Rachel

Rachel has the honor and privilege of having Chris Falson of Sounds Dangerous (I See The Lord) write her one-page for “Sing To Your Mountain.”

READ WHAT HE HAS TO SAY:

“It is a rare thing these days that an album ministers to me. Most recording artists in the worship, gospel and or inspirational categories, are trying so hard to carry ‘the message’ that they forget to tell their own story. While there are a few treasured moments or sing-able songs in these popularized albums, I have trouble believing the sincerity of many of the performances… I want real people leading me in their own voice, their own artistry, into the Father’s presence.

Listening to Rachel Galloway’s album, “Sing to Your Mountain,” is like being with her in person, almost as if she had invited me over for a cup of tea, a slice of her freshly baked cake and an hour of her favorite music. I can imagine her sitting me down in the most comfortable chair in her sun room and having me close my eyes, and then, as she strums her ukulele and sings, “Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice,” she gently leads me on a unique journey of faith. By the end, I feel extremely honored that she has allowed me to ‘sit with her’ during her own time of worship.

Rachel is, and I mean this as the highest compliment, childlike in both her writing and singing. She awakens the child in me, and I happily sing along with her. Like the child Jesus encourages us to be, she is somehow able to grab simple truths that many of us ‘grown ups’ have over-looked and then weave them into a rich tapestry of music and song. Though it all sounds familiar, it is as if I am hearing it for the first time.

The chorus of the opening song, “It is for Freedom that you have set us free,” is currently stuck in my head, delightfully so. I am singing it now as I write this ‘one pager’ and while I love the melody, it is this truth inside the song… a truth that I desperately need to know as my own (especially today), that I appreciate the most.

I have several other favorite songs today (this will change by tomorrow as per my daily needs). “The Lamp”… and I quote, ‘No One lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden.’ Thanks again Rachel… a song for the whole Church to own. “Southern Paws” hits me somewhere deep in my spirit and makes me feel that, like God the creator, I am part of everything. During “Hush,” I just wanted to plug my guitar in and be part of the band… it’s my kind of ‘art worship expression.’

The album is almost a throwback to the very first Christian album by the band Love Song. It is refreshingly different from most anything you will ever hear in the contemporary worship genre.  And it’s not just that the songs speak from God’s heart, or that Rachel’s invitation to follow her into her world of worship is so special… it’s also the actual sound of the album. It’s like listening in color. Great work by producer Daniel C. Smith and his merry band of wandering gypsies.

From one track to the next, “Sing To Your Mountain” took me by surprise and by the end of the first listen, while I had been admonished to ‘put my lamp out where people can see it,’
I had a big smile on my face. For some reason, this album of Rachel Galloway’s makes me happy. How does she do that?

-Chris Falson