Label: Word Entertainment
Join CCM favorites Point of Grace for a celebration of 25 years in music. Recollections: 25th Anniversary Collection features two CDs of classic hits from their self-titled debut through the latest release.
Disc 1: tracks 1-15
Disc 2: tracks 16-30
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A fairly definitive collection of songs from one of CCM’s most popular groups| Posted August 15, 2017
Point of Grace celebrated their 10 year anniversary in 2003 with what can probably be considered on of the best and most complete greatest hits collections in CCM history. 24 and its accompanying DVD 7 (see what they did there?) featured 24 of their 25 consecutive #1 hits on CCM radio (I still wish they just called it 25 and included "You Will Never Walk Alone" for completeness' sake!) complete with comprehensive packaging with stories behind each song and exclusive photos and memoirs. How could any greatest hits release from them top this? Well it can't and there's no real need to try. Their last greatest hits package, Turn Up the Music- The Hits of Point of Grace, did well to include primarily the post-"24" along with a few essential POG oldies (like "Circle of Friends" and "The Great Divide") and was much more simple in scale and promotion. However, "Our Recollections: 25th Anniversary" seeks to take a page from their "24" collection in its exclusivity (and a really bad album cover yet again) but lacks the hits of the previous collection. Instead of just including all their radio hits over the past 25 years, Point of Grace tries to encapsulate the essence of the group through the years, including fan favorites and meaningful album cuts along with some of their biggest hits.
Indeed each album is represented by both radio hits and album cuts. Some choices are brilliant while others are head scratchers. Their self-titled debut rightly features their first four #1 hits and the album closer “This Day.” Which for some time was a popular concert closer for them.
Sophomore release The Whole Truth features their career single “The Great Divide” , concert favorite “Our God is With Us” and their Mercy Ministries-inspired song “A House that Mercy Built.” But instead of popular album opener “Gather at the River” or the fun “Love Like No Other” the forgettable gospel song “Take Me Back” is included instead (always a CD-skipper on the original album for me).
Their blockbuster release Life Love and Other Mysteries is represented by its two biggest hits: “Keep the Candle Burning” and signature hit “Circle of Friends” but, instead of their #1 hit “You Are the Answer” or popular Sunday morning special ballad “Jesus Doesn’t Care” we are treated to two of the best songs from the back end of this release: “Any Road at Any Cost” and the ethereal and convicting “God Forbid”. This is a surprising but welcome move.
Platinum album Steady On is well represented with big hits “Saving Grace” and the title track but with only two songs from what many consider to be their best album I’m left wondering why dated tracks like “I Have No Doubt” or “Take Me Back” were not left off in favor of more enduring songs like “Jesus Is” or “The Wonder of It All.”
The second disc of this set is a bit non-sequitur. Unlike the first disk these songs are not listed in chronological order. Three ballads from Free to Fly are included (all three were radio hits) with big radio hits “Blue Skies” and “You Will Never Walk Alone” leading the way. I’m shocked that their first non-#1 single, “Yes I Believe” was given a place at the table instead of #1 hits “He Sends His Love” or “Praise Forevermore” or more interesting album tracks like “Begin with Me” or “By Heart.” I Choose You is represented by its three radio singles (disc opener “Who Am I”, the title cut and their #1 INSPO radio single, “Waiting in the Wings”) which are also the best three tracks on the album. How You Live lends the massive title track, their last #1 single “Heal the Wound” and, surprisingly, the sleepy “Any Way.” A better choice would have been “Before the Throne of Grace” which showcases POG’s amazing acapella harmonies or the popular lullaby “You Are Good.” “King of the World” which was a non-hit single featured on the expanded edition of How You Live is added but I would have included the upbeat “I Wish” in its place. POG’s final album attempt at mainstream country radio, No Changin’ Us is surprisingly under-represented with only the title song (which wasn’t even a single) making a show. This is very confusing given that some albums have 4-5 songs represented and it seemed that this album had several songs that meant a lot to POG. Perhaps radio singles “Come to Jesus” or “Nothing Greater Than Grace” or even their last mainstream single “Love and Laundry” or excellent album opener “He Holds Everything” could have found a spot here.
The two songs from A Thousand Little Things (title track and a graduation song dedicated to their kids) and the inclusion of two songs from their Directions Home covers album are fine enough but I found it odd that the last two songs on POG’s 25th anniversary greatest hits collection were covers of other people’s hits (Wayne Watson and Miley Cyrus oddly enough). Perhaps leaving off the covers songs and including two more songs from No Changin’ Us would have been better. Hopefully POG’s next greatest hits release will be a collection of all their radio singles in one place and give us a truly comprehensive look at this evergreen vocal group.
Over all, this is fairly definitive collection of songs from one of CCM’s most popular groups.
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