Thought Quotient

Click below for audio of Avalon talking about this project:

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Produced by Brown Bannister (Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Third Day, Sara Groves) Faith: A Hymns Collection originated from the band members’ longtime love of church worship standards, particularly Greg and Janna Long as well as Jody McBrayer, who grew up in the ministry.

Although such staples as “Blessed Assurance,” “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” “It is Well With My Soul,” and “Amazing Grace” are familiar to most Christians, their arrangements on this record are anything but typical. For example “I’ll Fly Away” has a clapping, round-the-campfire, improvisational feel to it, while “Jesus Medley” is highly R&B-influenced with soulful vocals. Among the album’s biggest surprises is “How Great Thou Art,” which rocks out to electric guitar.

“Avalon has always made diverse records, but this project is proof of how truly versatile they are, vocally and stylistically,” comments Brad O’Donnell, vice president of A&R for EMI CMG Label Group. “Avalon’s fans will hear the same quality they’ve come to expect but we believe there are songs on Faith that will draw new listeners as well.”

My love of consistency with my own doctrinal views is not great enough to allow me knowingly to alter a single text of Scripture. I have great respect for orthodoxy, but my reverence for inspiration is far greater. I would sooner a hundred times over appear to be inconsistent with myself than be inconsistent with the word of God. I never thought it to be any very great crime to seem to be inconsistent with myself; for who am I that I should everlastingly be consistent? But I do think it a great crime to be so inconsistent with the word of God that I should want to lop away a bough or even a twig from so much as a single tree of the forest of Scripture. God forbid that I should cut or shape, even in the least degree, any divine expression. - Charles Spurgeon