And Now, Let's Turn to Page...

Inspired by a harrowing car accident on a rural road, Brent Cobb decided to realize a dream for his fourth studio album: he recorded a collection of gospel tunes. Reuniting with his cousin, producer Dave Cobb -- who sat out 2020s Keep Em on They Toes -- Brent hunkered down at Nashvilles RCA Studio A. He knocked out covers of eight country gospel standards, adding the original "When Its My Time" for good measure. Where many modern country gospel efforts are austere, stiff affairs, And Now, Lets Turn to Page... is full-blooded, even funky at times (witness the Allman Brothers Band-styled workout on "Are You Washed in the Blood"). This sense of swagger and swing by no means undercuts Cobbs sincerity; rather, its a reflection of how he refashions these familiar songs in his own image. Plus, the livelier numbers help the quieter moments -- such as a version of "Old Rugged Cross" featuring heavy vocal harmonies -- shine even brighter, as there are fewer of them on this tight, sinewy album. The subtle shifts in tempo and arrangement make this brief record feel fully realized: these are renditions that are deep and soulful, carrying the same richness of Cobbs secular material while having a palpable spiritual undercurrent. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine