Group Name: The Perrys
Website: www.perrysministries.com
Album Title: “Look No Further”
Song Titles:
1. I Know It Was The Blood
2. The Potter Knows The Clay
3. Every Question Will Be Answered
4. Grip Of Grace
5. Look No Further
6. All Is Well
7. Product Of Love
8. The Holy Hills Of Heaven Call Me
9. Come And Get Me
10. Holding On To Me
11. Holy Shore
12. Second Opinion

Based in Nashville, TN, Daywind recording artists The Perrys have been in existence as a group since 1970. Over the years, they have become one of the best mixed quartets in the business. They have an unmistakable sound that quickly catches the attention of most any listener. The current group personnel includes Libbi Perry Stuffle (alto), Tracy Stuffle (bass), Joseph Habedank (lead), Matthew Holt (piano), and newest member Nick Trammell (baritone). Southern Gospel fans will recognize Nick’s last name, and with good reason- his father is longtime Southern Gospel vocalist Mark Trammell. Finally, Tracy and Libbi’s son JK also travels with the group as product manager.

“Look No Further” is the group’s newest album. The album contains songs from an impressive array of songwriters, including Kyla Rowland, Joel Lindsey, Mosie Lister, Dottie Rambo, Rodney Griffin, and Wayne Haun. Group members Nick Trammell, Joseph Habedank, and Matthew Holt also contributed/co-contributed songs as well. This is the first album with new baritone Nick Trammell, and I know that many fans have been anxious to hear their sound since his arrival. Well, let’s take a look at each of the songs and see what we find.

The up-tempo “I Know It Was The Blood” starts of the album on a strong note. It would be a shame if this song wasn’t released to radio at some point. The group gets to show off its blend here, and I must say that it hasn’t suffered at all with the new lineup. It’s a bit different, granted, but it’s just as good as before in my opinion. This song has quickly found its way onto my favorites list. Libbi is featured on the next song, a medium tempo ballad entitled “The Potter Knows The Clay”. As far as altos are concerned, I’m definitely a Libbi Perry Stuffle fan. Her voice is strong, smooth, and pleasant to listen to.

Song #3 is called “Every Question Will Be Answered”. It is an up-tempo, classic quartet song that lovers of traditional Southern Gospel arrangements will immediately fall in love with. (I find myself in this particular group.) The Perrys have a quartet-style sound that fits this song perfectly, and I have added this song to my list of favorites. Immediately following this song is a medium-tempo number called “Grip Of Grace”. Joseph Habedank is featured here, and he has a bit of a “country” flavor to his voice. I like the fact that he has some low tones to his voice. Many lead singers either don’t have them or don’t utilize them.

The fifth song is the album’s title track. “Look No Further” is a slower power ballad that contains some interesting harmonies and blends amongst the vocalists. You get to hear each vocalist solo for bits and pieces of the verses, but I’ll focus on Tracy Stuffle here for a second. I think that he is one of the most underrated basses in Southern Gospel today. Hearing his solo work on this song reminded me once again how rich his voice is and how solid his tones and notes are. My only complaint about this song is the pronunciation of the word “Sinai” early in the song. To fit the arrangement, they prominently pronounce it “Si-a-ni”, thus turning a 2-syllable word into a 3-syllable word. Maybe I’m being a bit picky here, but things like that catch my attention. Nick Trammell is featured on Song #6, an up-tempo number entitled “All Is Well”. If you listen closely, you can hear flashes of his dad’s voice as he sings. I think that this young man has a bright future in Southern Gospel, and the Perrys made a good move in hiring him. This song is another one that has found its way onto my list of favorites, and it should make a good radio release should the group decide to single it.

Song #7 is the slow, smooth “Product Of Love”. This is another song that allows the group to showcase their blend. Tracy Stuffle has a feature here, and my earlier comments concerning him hold true here as well. The eighth song is a medium-tempo song called “The Holy Hills Of Heaven Call Me”. Once again, we hear Libbi featured on this older classic. This leads nicely into what has to be the fastest song on the album. “Come And Get Me” is a classic Mosie Lister song, and it features some classic and fun piano licks that help make this song one of the most “fun” on the album.

The tenth song slows things down quite a bit. “Hold On To Me” is a slow smooth ballad that the group performs beautifully. Song #11 is the first radio release of the album. “Holy Shore” is another slower power song that features Joseph Habedank and Libbi Perry Stuffle. Those who are worried about Joseph’s move from baritone to lead can rest assured that the move will not hurt the group at all. I think that Joseph will need just a bit more time to fully grow into the lead role, but his voice will be an anchor of the group for hopefully years to come.

The final song on the album is another one of my favorites. “Second Opinion” is an up-tempo song with a very strong message, and I think that it’s an excellent choice with which to close the album. It also would make a good radio single.

Is this the best album the Perrys have ever done? I can’t definitively say that, but I can say that it ranks in the top 3 along with This Is The Day and Come Thirsty. To me, this is going to be regarded as one of the strongest albums to come out this year. It’s easy to see why the Perrys are regarded as one of the best mixed quartets on the road today. Good songwriting, good mix of song tempos, and overall group blend make this album a must have for fans of Southern Gospel. I think that each vocal position is strong, and can only get better as the new lineup continues to “gel”.

I would like to thank the Perrys and Daywind Records for the opportunity to review this album. Overall, I would give it an excellent rating of 9 ½ out of a possible 10 microphones!

Personal Favorites: “I Know It Was The Blood”, “Every Question Will Be Answered” “All Is Well”, and “Second Opinion”

This CD hasn't left the player since we got it. The Potter Knows the Clay--will bless your socks right off :rolleyes: