.

Group Name: Three Bridges
Website: www.threebridges.net
Album Title: “Another Blessing”
Song Titles:

1. Step Back On The Rock
2. I Get To
3. Straiten It Out
4. Took His Breath Away
5. Another Blessing
6. Gotta Serve Somebody
7. I Just Feel Like Something Good Is About To Happen
8. Just The Beginning For Me
9. My Do Good God
10. There’s Nothing Like The Presence
11. When I Get Where I’m Going
12. Journey’s End

For several years now, Three Bridges has been among the top groups in the Southern Gospel Industry.  They’ve won several awards in various categories over the years.  However, they recently experienced a huge change in personnel.  Tenor vocalist Dave McVay and lead vocalist Mitch Kenitzer (now known as Mitchel Jon) left the trio, leaving baritone vocalist Elliot McCoy to re-organize the group with lead vocalist Scott Johnson and tenor vocalist Eddy Bolton (formerly of Calvary Construction Company).

“Another Blessing” is the group’s first album with the new vocal lineup.  It features 12 songs- both familiar and brand new- from such writers as Bill Gaither, Ronnie Hinson, Aaron Wilburn, and group member Eddy Bolton.  The cover design is very well done, and the inside features some personal notes from the group members. (Although I personally am a bit disappointed that the song lyrics were not included.)

Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: THE SONGS!

Starting things off is the medium-tempo “Step Back On The Rock”.  This song, their first radio single from this album, has sort of a Black Gospel feel to it.  The vocal blend is nice throughout this song, and I think it will do well at radio.  Lead vocalist Scott Johnson is featured on the verses, and this seems to be the type of song that fits his voice perfectly.  Next up is another medium-tempo song called “I Get To”.  With a driving, progressive feel, this song contains a strong message.  The tempo then picks up for the third song, “Straiten It Out”.  This might be another one to consider for a radio release at some point- it has a catchy arrangement that listeners will enjoy.  Group member Eddy Bolton penned Song #4, a slower ballad called “Took His Breath Away”.  Bolton is also featured on this song, and he possesses some smooth tenor vocals and the ability to convey feeling in his voice. 

The fifth song is the album’s title track, “Another Blessing”.  This is an up-tempo song with a progressive Black Gospel-influenced sound.  This leads into a cover of a Bob Dylan song called “Gotta Serve Somebody”.  I know that Three Bridges has made its mark as a modern-sounding group, but I have to say that this song was not my favorite by any stretch.  Next up is an up-tempo Southern Gospel standard, “I Just Feel Like Something Good Is About To Happen”.  While I’ve always liked this song, and the group’s vocals are solid, the arrangement of this song lacks something to be desired.  The first half of the song utilizes what sounds like an organ, but it ends up sounding like an accordion.  This gives the first half of the song, for lack of a better term, a polka feel.  Thankfully, the last half of the song features some different instruments, but the overall arrangement is a bit too “busy” and overshadows the vocals.  Baritone vocalist Elliot McCoy takes the lead throughout this song, and his voice has a bit of country flair to it.  Song #8 is another Southern Gospel standard, the medium-tempo “Just The Beginning For Me”.  Elliot McCoy is once again featured, and this song seems to fit his voice much better than the previous song. 

Song #9 is called “My Do Good God”.  This is a medium-tempo song with a bit of a blues/country feel to it.  The tempo then slows down a bit for the next song, “There’s Nothing Like The Presence”.  Here we get another chance to hear Eddy Bolton’s tenor vocals, and they are as smooth as ever.  The eleventh song is another medium-tempo ballad called “When I Get Where I’m Going”.  The album ends with the up-tempo “Journey’s End”. 

I’ll admit that, for some reason, the album didn’t impress me the first time I listened to it.  However, the more I listened, the more it seemed to grow on me.  I don’t think it’s as good as the group’s past albums, but anytime you have this much personnel turnover at once and have to essentially re-form the entire group, a bit of a dropoff is expected and understood.  I think that, given more time together, the new personnel will continue to “gel” and their sound will get that last little bit of polish it needs.  Overall, this is a good album that people will enjoy.  I would give it a rating of 8 out of 10 microphones!

Favorites: “Step Back On The Rock”, “Took His Breath Away”, “Just The Beginning For Me”, and “My Do Good God”