Review: One of Contemporary Christian music's most enduring vocal bands, with a 30 year history of recording and concert ministry, all-male quartet Glad gives us the Christmas gift of "Receive the Glory" (A Cappella Project IV), their first a cappella album in 5 years. These ten songs have Glad's trademark impeccable arrangements, layered harmonies and vocal versatility, beginning with the finely-crafted "A Debtor to Mercy Alone," and continuing through covers like "All Hail The Power of Jesus' Name," "O Wondrous Love," "Blessed Be Your Name," "O Sacred Head Now Wounded," "Holy, Holy, Holy," and "Be Still My Soul"-but the arrangements are so fine, it is as if we are hearing these songs for the first time. The title tune and "In Christ Alone" are lovely and inspirational. Since their formation at West Chester State U in the early 70's, Glad has touched millions of people with their musical ministry while creating a wonderful body of work, 11 CDs appreciated by a cappella lovers of all genres. All we can say is, we're glad you're back in the recording studio again, and don't wait again so long!

Songlist: A Debtor to Mercy Alone, All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name, O Wondrous Love, Blessed Be Your Name, O Sacred Head Now Wounded, Holy Holy Holy, In Christ Alone, Receive the Glory, Alleluia, Be Still My Soul

Review: Glad presents the long awaited Voices Of Christmas featuring: 'It Came Upon A Midnight Clear', 'Angels From The Realms Of Glory', 'The First Noel', 'Angels We Have Heard On High', 'O Little Town Of Bethlehem', 'All Praise To You', 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen', 'What Child Is This', and 'All The World Was Waiting'. Glad is regarded as one of the finest vocal ensembles in the a cappella community bringing new and exciting arrangements to songs of Christmas past. This 'humbug repellent' will bring joy to your home and create a harmonious atmosphere to all those who hear.

Songlist: It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, Go, Tell it on the Mountain, Angels From The Realms Of Glory, The First Noel, Angels We Have Heard On High, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, All Praise To You, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, What Child Is This?, All The World Was Waiting

Review: Following their success with 'Worship and Praise,' the Glad quartet have returned with ten more songs of inspiration in the contemporary Christian mode. As always, the production and arranging has a modern edge (several of the tracks feature rhythm samples), and, as on 'God Is My Redeemer,' invites comparisons to Take 6, with the multiple part stacked chords and vocal trills. The quieter ballads, such as 'Oh God, My God,' are elaborate pop, each melodic embellishment ascending ever higher; similarly, 'Maker Of My Heart' weaves its progression with surging intensity and upward motion. The intelligently crafted songs of Glad are always performed with compelling sincerity.

Songlist: God Is My Redeemer, How High And How Wide, Oh God, My God, Maker Of My Heart, Mourning Into Dancing, We Sing Your Mercies, Jesus, Lover Of My Soul, Great Is The Lord, Give Unto The Lord, How Deep The Father's Love For Us

Review: Glad's jubilent style features sacred subject matter, supported by stiring arrangements that use multiple countermelodies and modulations to glorify the Creator. The result is positive and uplifting and this new collection of original songs is memorable. Layer upon layer of harmonies and jazzy chord extensions, on songs such as 'Gloria', 'Awesome God', 'He Loves to Hear Our Praise', 'I Come by the Blood' genuflect and express the heartfelt spirit of the season.

Songlist: May the Gory of the Lord, Gloria, Awesome God, Before the Throne of God Above, Shout to the Lord, He is Exalted, The Highest Glory, Alas! and did My Savior Bleed, He Loves to Hear our Praise, I Come by the Blood, More of You

Review: This is it! This is the 1988 album that saw a Christian rock group gain meteoric popularity in the a cappella field. Each of their prior albums had included one a cappella tune. It was an experiment to do an entire recording of them. Thank goodness! You might hear elements of Acappella, The Beach Boys, Yes and other virtuoso male vocal rock and popular rhythm groups but one aspect that distinctly differentiates Glad is the fact that they have classical elements in their music which gives them a wider palette of vocal textures and possibilities. You will always read reviewers use the terms rich and lush when describing the multi-layering of the Glad compositions. These terms are not exaggerated. If anything they are understated. Just listen to that vocal horn fanfare! Rich, lush, rich, lush, rich, lush. There!

Songlist: A Mighty Fortress, In The First Light, O For A Thousand Tongues, Depending On Your Love, Be Thou My Vision, Easter Song, Be Ye Glad, The Reason, Amen, And This Is Love, And Can It Be, God Is my Rock

Review: 'The Solid Rock' starts the recording and is as rich and lush an arrangement as we have heard from the wonderful singers of Glad. Monophonic phrases gradually give way to polyphonic complexity. The voices spread from one note to multi-part harmony. Then we are treated to a gospel/jazz arrangement of 'Tell It Like It Is.' Because the style was pioneered by Take Six that is our best description of what it sounds like. 'Your Love Broke Through' has a touch of percussion added to an arrangement that feels like a ballad. The percussion is marvelously inventive, and almost seems a shame that it's found on only one arrangement, but as a purist, this reviewer is just as glad. All in all, each of the ten songs are different musical views of the gospel field. They vary from the traditional song which builds to cascades of harmonies to jazz with R&B overtones. Once again we are blessed to have Glad in the a cappella field.

Songlist: The Solid Rock, Tell It Like It Is, Your Love Broke Through, Doer Of Your Word, Arise, My Soul, Arise, That's What The Lonely Is For, Stars In The Universe, My God I Love You, Crown Him With Many Crowns, We Gather Together

Review: Glad began as a progressive Christian rock band in the early seventies. Rich complex arrangements and lush vocal melodies have been their trademark. Each of their early albums had one a cappella tune included. As an experiment, in 1988, they recorded the A Cappella Project which was received with such enthusiasm that they have been alternating instrumental accompaniment with a cappella albums ever since. Glad singing Gershwin is a total treat. All the standards are here "I've Got Rhythm," "The Girl I Love," "Someone To Watch Over Me" etc. To this reviewer "The Gershwin Medley" is nothing short of fabulous!

Songlist: I Got Rhythm, The Girl I Love, Our Love Is Here To Stay, Embraceable You, The Gershwin Medley, They All Laughed, A Foggy Day (In London Town), Little Jazz Bird, But Not For Me, They Can't Take That Away From Me, Someone To Watch Over Me

Review: The contemporary Christian group Glad is one of the most consistently popular groups of the genre. This "Collector's Series," drawn from their eight-CD catalog, shows why: they've developed their own readily-identifiable sound (multi-layered, complex, big) and they do it really well. For example, "Doer of Your Word" has the easy familiarity and sing-along refrain of a pop song, but beyond the surface the arrangement and production is simply stunning. Vocal trills, shifts of meter, countermelody upon countermelody utilizing voice as instrument-this is their standard modus operandi. Listening to the tracks over and over, one hears them differently each time, as if studying the brushstrokes of a painting individually. One new track, "Praise To The Lord" by John Rutter, is an added bonus.

Songlist: Vol. 1, God Is My Rock, Easter Song, Mary, Mary, Just As I Am, The Solid Rock, Praise To The Lord, The Almighty, Blessed Assurance, The Reason, Mighty Fortress, Your Love Broke Through, For Unto Us, One Quiet Moment, You Put This Love In My Heart, Vol. 2, This Is My Father's World/ For The Beauty Of The Earth, Sing It ACappella, Be Thou My Vision, Amen, Arise, My Soul, Arise, Doer Of Your Word, Christ The Lord Is Risen Today, Love One Another, God So Loved The World, Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee, Rock Of Ages, Crown Him, Be Ye Glad, In The First Light

Review: Lacking sufficient superlatives to merely rave, your trusty reviewer will try to give a feeling of the musical arrangements applied to some well known hymns, amidst a bevy of lesser-knowns. The beginning tune is more than just worthy of attention, it rivets one's attention. The hymn is Edward Shurtleff's 'Lead On, O King Eternal.' It was written in 1887 when his classmates of his seminary graduating class requested that he compose an inspirational call to spiritual battle. Glad embellishes the resulting hymn with an implication of vocal fanfare in the background, four part harmonies, the use of jazz chording and builds to such a crescendo that it is as inspiring as the composer would have ever wished. That is just the first song! Among the fourteen songs are found 'Rock of Ages,' 'Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee' and 'Fairest Lord Jesus.' They provide a rock of familiarity so that our spirits can soar into the lesser known and still be anchored. An additional little bonus are the notes which give brief histories of the songs. Great!

Songlist: Lead On, O King Eternal, Beneath The Cross Medley, This Is My Father's World/For The Beauty Of The Earth, Rock Of Ages, Blessed Assurance, All Beauty Speaks Of Thee, I Sing The Mighty Power of God, Thy Word Medley, Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee, Fairest Lord Jesus, Immortal Invisible, Breathe On Me, Breath Of God, Love Divine, All Loves Excelling, The Master Has Come/O Worship

Review: As one of the best-known and best-selling Contemporary Christian groups, the Glad quintet's tone is warm, full and open. With many arrangements by Bob Kauflin (which are collected in the accompanying 'Glad Christmas' songbook), and other gifted scribes such as Dave Maddux, the traditional holiday carol songlist is infused with added spirit. To a certain extent, as on 'Joy to The World,' the group re-writes the material, melodically and harmonically, so that it's tantamount to a new composition. Whether one approves of these liberties or not, one cannot argue the creativity, expertise and emotion that pervades everything they lay to tape.

Songlist: Glory to God, O Come, O Come, Emmauel, Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, Joy to the World, Rise Up Night, Shepherd, and Follow, For Unto Us, Starlight, O Come, All Ye Faithful, One Quiet Moment, In the First Light, Break Forth, O Beauteous Heav'nly Light

Review: Rich and lush. Did we say that yet? Well let's just get it out of the way, shall we. After the wonderful reception of the first all a cappella album by Glad, a follow-up was demanded by fans everywhere. Not only will you hear the popular, rock, and classical elements in all their glory but a distinct jazz element joins the repertoire which is a portent of things to come (A Cappella Gershwin). Just listen to Ed Nalle and Rob Neal's song 'Sing It A Cappella' and you'll no doubt think of Take Six. Immediately following is the introduction to 'Christ The Lord Is Risen Today,' a wonderful classical/jazz hybrid. The whole recording is a marvelous mix of new material and arrangements of historical tradition, Charles Westley, Isac Watts, Matthew Bridges and even Theodulph of Orleans for real ancient history! Don't forget now, rich and lush!

Songlist: Crown Him With Many Crowns, When I Survey The Wondrous Cross, Sing It A Cappella, Christ The Lord Is Risen Today, You Put This Love In My Heart, Just As I Am, Sing A New Song, God So Loved The World, All Glory, Laud And Honor, Rejoice, The Lord Is King, My Jesus, I Love Thee