Review - Outside (Gary Chapman)

Gary Chapman's new effort is a good listen if not an entirely inspirational or moving CD. In general, the album is steeped in cliche, as can be typical with singers who lean towards a country style. Furthermore, some of Gary's lyrics are just not well-suited to be put to music. Because the music has to fit the story-telling, narrative lyrics, the music is average at best. The music has nothing interesting about it to set it apart from every other artist out there, and the words of the songs would have been more effective said in a book.

The best track on this CD is the title track, 'Outside'. The song focuses not only on bringing the Gospel outside of the church, but the importance of the church itself: 'Outside where people are hurting / Suffering and searching for someplace to hide / Inside God pulls us together / From a world torn apart / To carry the love in our hearts...Outside'