Mary-Kathryn Dreams & Visions CD

A sentence in Mary-Kathryn's press biography reads, "Her recent influences include Enya, Loreena McKennitt, the Afro Celt Sound System, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Seal, and Sarah Brightman." As a listen to her fourth album, Dreams & Visions, confirms, this list is accurate, at least in a musical sense. Mary-Kathryn is part of a long tradition in gospel and contemporary Christian music. CCM's adherents often have made a practice of copying popular musical styles, even including heavy metal, and simply applying religious lyrics to them. There is a stealth aspect to this, of course, as if the religious musicians are trying to sneak their message in with fans of different musical styles, and it is, of course, somewhat lacking in originality. But it continues to be tried, and Mary-Kathryn is just one more example. What is unusual about her is her choice of style. She adopts the world music-inflected sound of Gabriel and Sting in particular, although there is plenty of Enya's echoey vocal style as well. Over the ethnic percussion and keyboard burblings, however, the lyrics are standard-issue gospel praise song. For example, as an instrumental musical track, "Glory Forever" may sound like something that could fit on Gabriel's So, but the first verse goes like this: "I worship you and I sing/I give to you everything/With all my heart all my praises to you/Your glory shines like the sun/The lamb of God, righteous one/Bright morning star." Elsewhere in that press biography, Mary-Kathryn is described as "a unique voice in the popular and rapidly-growing `New Age/New Thought movement.'" She may well be the only artist in CCM copying this particular brand of adult pop, but there isn't anything new in her message; it's as old as the Rock of Ages. ~ William Ruhlmann

In a world of disposable pop music, there are a few artists who somehow manage to create music that pierces the monotonous tedium of the Top 40. From the first time we hear them there is an intimacy, a fire, a subtle shade of interpretation that spurs our imagination. With repeated encounters comes a warmth and familiarity that can only be described as visceral. We connect with them. We feel we know them. Mary-Kathryn is such an artist. On her fourth album, Dreams & Visions, Mary-Kathryn blends elements of soft pop, rock and folk with world music influences as diverse as the continents to create a spiritual amalgam that transcends musical boundaries. Sophisticated without being elitist; understated without being simplistic, Mary-Kathryn displays an emotional depth that can only be described as remarkable. The album features appearances by Hugh Marsh on Violin and Fergus Marsh on Chapman Stick & Bass, Tony Morra on Drums & Percussion, the Finnish vocal group Fire 4U, co-produced by Paul Buono and Mary-Kathryn and mixed by Tony Palacios at the Sound Kitchen. While her earlier releases hinted at Mary-Kathryn’s world music influences, her new millennium release, One Spirit, exploded with exotic rhythms and Old World passions. Middle Eastern cadences nestled comfortably against Native American inflections. Traditional folk melodies from France, Italy, and America melded seamlessly with musical influences from such faraway lands as India and Ireland, Africa and Egypt. And shot through it all was a deep and abiding spirituality. With Dreams & Visions Mary-Kathryn delves even deeper into the world music realm, painting word pictures on an aural canvas with exotic instrumentation, adroit production, and lyrics that are nothing short of God-haunted. But as Billboard Magazine’s reviewer so aptly put it, “the most affecting instrument…is Mary-Kathryn’s lovely voice.”

Recording information: Downtown Batterie Studio, Franklin, TN; Helsinki South Studio, Franklin, TN; The Sound Kitchen, Franklin, TN.

Photographer: Allan Amato.

Personnel: Hugh Marsh (violin); Fergus Marsh (Chapman stick); Tony Morra (drums, percussion); Mary Ellen Hooper, David Bunker (background vocals).

Audio Mixer