Sleeve Dog Records
2007
The Gospel Truth
About This Album
This popular indie folk-rock performer's first stab at gospel music is so musically compelling and heartfelt that it's literally hard to believe she isn't a theist. But that's the point of this brilliant collection, which may just be the world's first gospel recording for agnostics. The question Susan Werner answers brilliantly, both vocally and lyrically, over the course of 11 songs is "Is there any way to get all this joy, but without the Jesus?" Questioning God has been part the Judeo Christian tradition since the time of the psalmists, but in contemporary American religious culture, fundamentalism seems at an all-time high with exact doctrine taking precedence over honest soul searching. Tapping fearlessly into our national zeitgeist, The Gospel Truth is thoughtful and incisive, biting yet hopeful, drawing from Werner's own spiritual inquiries to engage the "true believers." Her higher purpose in what can easily be enjoyed just for the clever wordsmithing seems to be finding common ground in addressing issues that divide America. Musically, her inspirations run deep into mid-20th century gospel, from the Carter Family and the Stanley Brothers to lesser knowns like Fern Jones.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9)

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