Tom Autry - Old & New

Tom Autry is a singer/songwriter/keyboardist out of Fort Worth, Texas. He cut his first album in 1974, as Star Song's premiere artist. Since then, he and wife Janie have released five more albums, and now travel extensively performing their music. Old & New is a mix of Praise & Worship, smooth jazz and a little gospel thrown in, a sort of "best of" Tom's six albums.

Born Again opens the CD with a relaxed jazz feel. There's an old-time boogie feel here. Charles Martin and Gabe Dorrell's saxophones are delightful, and the improv and conversation at the end are believable. Those wonderful saxes lead right into the next song. Did you miss the last revival at your church? Don't fret. Tom Autry captured it all in music :-). The "Old" in Old & New might be the old-fashioned tent-revival feeling of Turn To Jesus. You can hear in your head the pentecostal choir backing him up, and you can just see the ladies in hats clapping and raising their hands! This is a fun song, sure to leave every listener smiling.

Breakthru has an 80s youth-group-at-the-beach feel, with some of the best guitar playing on the album and solid backups (especially the lone backup at the end of the song). It's clear that music is fun for Tom, and you just know that he records his music with a huge grin on his face. It might be titled Just A Song, but it's anything but average. A perfect vehicle for Tom's voice, with a gentle, almost Southern-Gospel feel. The backups are very good here also, and the strings add the perfect touch.

Tom has a knack for sing-along choruses, ones that include all his listeners, letting them join in the worship. This is especially evident on No One Else, a pretty praise & worship song with lyrics easy enough for a congregation to pick up, yet expressing a depth and understanding of the majesty of God. Continuing in the praise and worship vein, Jesus Brother God is pretty and simply put. I had to go to my Bible for the understanding of the lyrics here. At first listen, it comes across as Jesus, Brother God (and the Mormon red flags went up!) But we read in Matthew that he who does the will of the Father is the Lord's brother. Jesus, brother, God. Don't forget that last comma ;-).

Outstanding backup parts on Keeper of Israel! Both the ethereal female parts and the solid, down-to-earth male part (fantastic!). The writing credits include King David, along with Gaylord Sturgess and Tom. This is a simply beautiful song! This is a song you'll listen to many, many times. The spoken part detracts a little from the song, and I wonder why he didn't just work it into the melody; he's shown that he certainly has the ability.

There's a gorgeous flute part by Susan Chiboroski on Anointed, an instrumental only song co-written by Susan and Tom. The song is very peaceful, and lets you pause to reflect on what's been said in the previous songs. It's pure worship expressed in piano, keyboard, faint percussion and flute. Your Spirit Sings is beautiful, and obviously a very personal song for Tom. It's full of hope and love, feeling wrapped in the arms of the Savior. It's a simple and moving chorus, and this is a natural for a congregational songbook, especially for The Vineyard or Calvary Chapel praise times. Excellent lyrics here, and this reviewer's favorite from this CD.

The album ends with Step Over, a good choice for a closer. It has an almost R&B quality to it, with a fluid vocal backed up by a good keyboard part. It's peaceful without being stagnant, enveloping the listener in a state of worship. Absolutely a beautiful spirit in this song. Old & New comes to this reviewer as a CD-R. The cover design is pretty plain (though with a good concept), and unfortunately lacks lyrics. I would've liked to read them separately, but Tom's voice is clear on every song and they are easy to understand. This is almost an 80 minute CD, perfect for passive listening or personal worship times. Additionally, Tom is probably great in concert, especially for the over-30 crowd. After 25 years in music, Tom has proven that His word in song is timeless.

Paul Gentry, CMCA Staff