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Everything in Between
Pop/rock
www.dannyoertli.com

Oertli's (the e is silent) fourth independent recording begins deceptively as another straightforward AC pop/worship effort. It turns out to be much more—an album that explores the depths of faithfulness by tracing Oertli's life since becoming an artist 13 years ago when he graduated from Colorado State University. After losing his first wife to a long battle with cancer, he wrote the bittersweet "Mommy Paints the Sky" to console their two children; it's also the title of his book chronicling his story. The poignant "Worship You with Tears" follows as a modern "It Is Well with My Soul," and an acoustic cover of Rich Mullins' "Hard to Get" is fitting for this album. The thirty-something artist eventually remarried, reflected in the romantic rocker "I See God in You" and the ballad "I'm Wild for You." The album closes with Fernando Ortega's "Give Me Jesus" and a rollicking rendition of Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." Orteli's voice and style fall somewhere between Shaun Groves and Phil Keaggy—melodic pop/rock, comparable at times to Paul McCartney. And while he's not as proficient as Keaggy and other legends, Oertli is an impressive guitarist in his own right. In short, Everything in Between is a deeply felt musical testimony done right.

I Bowed to the Father
Contemporary urban gospel
www.terrymyrick.com

Hailing from Tampa, Myrick got his start like most urban gospel artists—singing in his church choir. The experience allowed him to share the stage with gospel luminaries like Shirley Caesar, Walter Hawkins, and Commissioned to name a few, inspiring him to pursue a singing career of his own. He went on to star in some Off-Broadway musicals, and has spent nearly 20 years working as a music teacher. His debut album represents the launch of his indie label, Sweet Melody Records, and offers a contemporary blend of urban gospel that ranges from smooth R&B ("Lord I Just Wanna Thank You"), traditional ("Dear Jesus I Love You"), and even a splash of hip-hop ("Alleluia"). A generally well-produced recording, the real attraction is Myrick's impressive vocal range, which spans "from baritone to soprano." He's kind of like Tonéx without the experimental side, or a gospel-ized version of the Bee Gees ("Hold On"), which is to say you might not dig this if you don't like a smooth R&B singer who spends a lot of time making soulful runs in his high-pitched "head voice" range. But Myrick's talent is undeniable, making this a strong debut from a gifted singer.

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