Butterfly Kisses (CD - 1997)

BUTTERFLY KISSES (SHADES OF GRACE) is a re-ordered and re-packaged version of Carlisle's 1996 album SHADES OF GRACE. It includes an extra, hidden track, a countrified remix of the single "Butterfly Kisses."

Personnel: Bob Carlisle (vocals, guitars, mandolin); Bryan Duncan (vocals); Glenn Pearce (guitars, electric sitar); Dennis Patton, Scott Sheriff (piano, keyboards, organ); Regie Hamm (piano, keyboards, organ, drums); Mark Hill (bass); Linda Elias, Leslie Glassford, Rebecca Palmer (background vocals).

Recorded at High-Pass Productions, Nashville, Tennessee.

"Butterfly Kisses" was nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Country Song.

Personnel: Bob Carlisle (guitar, mandolin, background vocals); Glenn Pearce (guitar, electric sitar); Regie Hamm (piano, organ, keyboards, drums); Dennis Patton, Scott Sheriff (piano, organ, keyboards); Lesley Glassford, Linda Elias, Rebecca Palmer (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: David Johnsen.

Recording information: Atlanta Marriott, Room 133; High-Pass Productions, Nashville, TN.

Editor: Danny Cobb.

Photographer: Tamara Reynolds.

Unknown Contributor Role: Scott Sheriff.

Arrangers: Dennis Patton; Regie Hamm; Scott Sheriff.

In the spring of 1997, Bob Carlisle unexpectedly had a crossover hit with "Butterfly Kisses," an ode to his love for his daughter that just happened to hit the airwaves around Father's Day. Excited at the prospect of a major hit, the label re-released Carlisle's Shades of Grace under the title Butterfly Kisses, hoping it would lure in the mainstream audience. Although their gambit worked, it's unclear how many "Butterfly Kisses" fans will be satisfied with the entire album, because it doesn't have that many songs that are equally as catchy. The sound of the record is pleasant enough, since Carlisle has a good voice and the music is smooth and unobtrusive, but there aren't enough strong songs to satisfy pop consumers. Still, Shades of Grace/Butterfly Kisses demonstrates a leap forward for Carlisle, and its best, hook-laden moments make it his best record yet. ~ Rodney Batdorf

In the spring of 1997, Bob Carlisle unexpectedly had a crossover hit with "Butterfly Kisses," an ode to his love for his daughter that just happened to hit the airwaves around Father's Day. Excited at the prospect of a major hit, the label re-released Carlisle's Shades of Grace under the title Butterfly Kisses, hoping it would lure in the mainstream audience. Although their gambit worked, it's unclear how many "Butterfly Kisses" fans will be satisfied with the entire album, because it doesn't have that many songs that are equally as catchy. The sound of the record is pleasant enough, since Carlisle has a good voice and the music is smooth and unobtrusive. Although pop consumers might wish the album had more strong songs, Shades of Grace/Butterfly Kisses still demonstrates a leap forward for Carlisle, and its best, hook-laden moments make it his best record yet. ~ Rodney Batdorf

There are only so many ideas to go around, or so the theory goes, and every generation creates its own version of the basic themes that have been reiterated again and again in music, art and literature throughout the ages. Thus, Barrett Strong's "Money" turned into Madonna's "Material Girl" and so on. Bob Carlisle, a contemporary Christian singer/songwriter who spent several years with God-rockers the Allies, is the latest artist to carry on this time-tested tradition, by offering up a "Cat's In The Cradle" for the '90s in the title song of BUTTERFLY KISSES.

In "Butterfly Kisses," which has become a favorite for the father-daughter dance at weddings, Carlisle sings about the mixed feelings of nostalgia, happiness and loss that assail him on the eve of his daughter's wedding. Here, as on most of the other tracks, Carlisle adopts a mellow, keyboard-based sound that would have been called "soft rock" in the '70s, but will likely get him thrown in with the "adult contemporary crowd" today. BUTTERFLY KISSES is full of sentimental ballads based on deeply-felt religious convictions and the conflicts that those beliefs can cause. minimize