Mark Schultz (CD - 2000)

Personnel: Mark Schultz (vocals, piano); Ginny Owens (vocals); George Cocchini (acoustic & electric guitars); Rivers Rutherford (acoustic guitar); Gary Burnette (electric guitar); Mark Douthit, Mike Haynes (horns); Jeffery Roach (piano, keyboards); Mark Hill (bass); Dan Needham, Greg Herrington (drums); Tabitha Fair, Marilyn Martin, Chris Rodriguez, Michael Mellett, Kim Keyes, Peter Penrose, Lisa Cochran (background vocals).

Christian pop singer-songwriter Mark Schultz makes his debut with a sound that's equal parts Michael W. Smith, Bruce Hornsby, and Matchbox 20. While Schultz's lyrical sensibilities are clearly rooted in faith-based subject matter, his musical orientation is a grab bag of everything from pop and rock to R&B and gospel. The fervently bopping "Let's Go" alternates a Ben Folds Five-like pop feel with spots where Schultz displays his ample piano chops, and "When You Give" is an anthemic rocker whose spiritual message is accented by a touch of gospel flavoring. Ballads such as "He's My Son" and "When You Come Home" show that Schultz has both the potential for Triple-A crossover and a possible entry into the country market. However diverse Schultz's various musical influences may be, the underlying inspiration behind his work is obviously his faith, and in the end that's what gives his eponymous album weight. minimize