Review
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Title: Witness (A Nashville Tribute to the Book of Mormon)
Artist: The Nashville Tribute Band
Label: Shadow Mountain Records
Genre: Country
Year Published: 2023
Number of Album Tracks: 14
Binding: Digipack CD
SKU: 6026865
Price: 14.98
Reviewed by Ivan Wolfe for the Association of Mormon Letters
If you are looking for music that pushes the boundaries and tests the limits, Witness is not that album. However, that is not a criticism. While the music here (mostly – but not entirely – acoustic-based Traditional Country) does not break any new ground or challenge the listener, neither is it cliched, sappy, pandering, watered-down music aimed at the lowest common denominators of the consumer market. This is solid, well-done, masterful music performed by top Nashville musicians at the top of their game. Frankly, the world could use a lot more well-done, way above-average, more than-competent music that, while ambitious, does not aim to change the entire sonic landscape. Too many artists either pander to the audience or become obsessed with forever changing their genres. This album stays in the middle, and that’s more than fine; it’s excellent and rewarding.
Overall, the album, with two bookend songs that cover the Book of Mormon as a whole, presents a dozen songs (so 14 total) that either narrate a specific incident, person, or mood from the text. So, for example, “Can’t Make You Believe” is basically Nephi telling Laman and Lemuel, “I can take a beating from you, but I can’t make you believe,” and “Good” is Alma the Younger rejoicing after meeting with the Sons of Mosiah returning from their missionary journey. Others take a more abstract view – “What About Jesus?” could (mostly) stand on its own as a Gospel Country song but is clearly meant to cover the time from the Nativity to the appearance of Jesus at the temple.
All of the songs are excellent – the least of them is well above average – with excellent production values, stellar musicianship, and solid lyrics (though if I had one mild criticism, except for a few flashes, one of which I will mention in the next paragraph, the lyrics are probably the weakest point, but mostly because they generally lack the clever wordplay one often associates with Country music; they do their job, but not much more).
The standout track, to me (and this will likely differ for you – whoever you are – depending on personal taste) was “Wicked Man,” which is basically “What if Omni wrote a Country song?” It has the best lyrics – the line “Maybe Heaven’s got a place way out on the outskirts/I don’t need no streets of gold, I’m fine with just dirt” is so amazingly and perfectly Country I was surprised I had never heard a line like it before in a Country song. And despite the title, the song holds out hope for redemption in Christ, rather than just wallowing in wickedness (another strength is that while it fits perfectly with Omni’s few verses, it could also work in modern times as a song about a war-weary veteran looking back on a less than perfect life and wondering where he stands with God).
If you like (or are even curious about) traditional, mostly acoustic Country music performed by some of the best session players in Nashville (which, despite stereotypes, probably has the most musical talent and skill per square mile of any place on the planet), you should check Witness out. No, it doesn’t break any new ground musically or lyrically, but as I said above, it’s a great example of doing a job and doing it amazingly well.