MATT CARLSON
Hymns From My Heart
Great Is Thy Faithfulness – Blessed
Assurance – Just As I Am – When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder – Nearer My
God To Thee – It Is Well – I’ll Fly Away – His Eye Is On The Sparrow –
Nothing But The Blood – America The Beautiful
Assurance – Just As I Am – When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder – Nearer My
God To Thee – It Is Well – I’ll Fly Away – His Eye Is On The Sparrow –
Nothing But The Blood – America The Beautiful
How does it happen? I just reviewed an album by Josh
Turner, super good one with his really good traditional country song,
“Hawaiian Girl” on it, steel guitar and all. And the next one up to
review is Matt Carlson, who is an incredibly gifted ukulele player. Hey
there aren’t any Hawaiian songs on this album by Matt, it is devoted to
his (and our) Lord Jesus Christ. It never ceases to amaze me how
important music must be to Jesus. It’s how some of our very best
testimony is revealed. Matt does it so very well with each and every
song on this completely well done music presentation with his ukulele
instrumental CD. It is so nice to know that a young guy (Matt is
17) can keep our ears tuned to not just the lyrics of great Christian
songs, but also to the melody lines that sets the words off so nicely.
Not being familiar with each and every song on this album, I was tempted
to seek the words that completes the beautiful image of the song
itself. Yet, I am familiar with most of the songs Matt does here, and
the words come vibrantly back to me as I hear him play his small
stringed instrument so perfectly well. The lead lines are so vibrant
and so easy to follow. Matt Carlson is a genius on this musical
instrument, and his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ shines through bright
and clear as he easily picks the songs he himself finds so beautiful.
Brad Johnson is on the studio sound board and he too has kept Matt’s
beautiful renditions of some great Gospel songs right where they need to
be. Brad mixed and mastered this delightful adventure. Matt does a
lot of music and recording with his dad, Allen, but this is his first
‘solo’ album, and I for one find it a most intriguing and delightful
listening experience. He makes his home in southern Minnesota, and
maybe that upper-Midwest charm shines through in his music. If you can
find Matt on Face-Book, you can also find a hymn a week on his ukulele.
I’ll be tuning in you can be sure, and I am also forwarding this CD to
the Rural Roots Music Commission, who I will bet my last dollar on, that
they’ve never ever heard a ukulele played so well, especially on
Christian songs they are all familiar with. “Style” is also Matt’s. It
is singularly his and his alone. Keep it up Matt Carlson. God not
only has His eye on the sparrow, He also has His eye on good musicians
who tithe their talent to God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. I
also liked Matt’s very distinct and vitally important to us these days,
America The Beautiful.
Turner, super good one with his really good traditional country song,
“Hawaiian Girl” on it, steel guitar and all. And the next one up to
review is Matt Carlson, who is an incredibly gifted ukulele player. Hey
there aren’t any Hawaiian songs on this album by Matt, it is devoted to
his (and our) Lord Jesus Christ. It never ceases to amaze me how
important music must be to Jesus. It’s how some of our very best
testimony is revealed. Matt does it so very well with each and every
song on this completely well done music presentation with his ukulele
instrumental CD. It is so nice to know that a young guy (Matt is
17) can keep our ears tuned to not just the lyrics of great Christian
songs, but also to the melody lines that sets the words off so nicely.
Not being familiar with each and every song on this album, I was tempted
to seek the words that completes the beautiful image of the song
itself. Yet, I am familiar with most of the songs Matt does here, and
the words come vibrantly back to me as I hear him play his small
stringed instrument so perfectly well. The lead lines are so vibrant
and so easy to follow. Matt Carlson is a genius on this musical
instrument, and his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ shines through bright
and clear as he easily picks the songs he himself finds so beautiful.
Brad Johnson is on the studio sound board and he too has kept Matt’s
beautiful renditions of some great Gospel songs right where they need to
be. Brad mixed and mastered this delightful adventure. Matt does a
lot of music and recording with his dad, Allen, but this is his first
‘solo’ album, and I for one find it a most intriguing and delightful
listening experience. He makes his home in southern Minnesota, and
maybe that upper-Midwest charm shines through in his music. If you can
find Matt on Face-Book, you can also find a hymn a week on his ukulele.
I’ll be tuning in you can be sure, and I am also forwarding this CD to
the Rural Roots Music Commission, who I will bet my last dollar on, that
they’ve never ever heard a ukulele played so well, especially on
Christian songs they are all familiar with. “Style” is also Matt’s. It
is singularly his and his alone. Keep it up Matt Carlson. God not
only has His eye on the sparrow, He also has His eye on good musicians
who tithe their talent to God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. I
also liked Matt’s very distinct and vitally important to us these days,
America The Beautiful.
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART, President of the National Traditional Country Music Assn. www.music-savers.com for Country Music News International