Search - John Michael Talbot :: Troubadour of the King

Troubadour worth five stars

Robert Lavallee | Montreal, Canada | 06/14/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Early on when John Michael Talbot joined the Franciscan monks I was a bit leary what might happen to his folky, coffeehouse-style music. But I was quite pleased when I heard his new "monastic" material. It was peaceful and gentle. His first releases (such as "Come to the Quiet") were more often single guitar and voice, very meditative. Quite refreshing.



"Troubadour Of The Great King" was the last Talbot album I bought. A double record at the time. Each "side" was especially beautiful as Talbot sang the Scripture verses that inspired Saint Francis of Assisi.



Gentle here (How Many And Wonderful), fun and somewhat boisterous there (Dance of Creation) it played differently from his first monastic material. Backup singers and orchestra accompany a number of the tracks.



Each side ended with a song that had a particular hook: side 1 with "Brother Sun/Sister Moon", side 2 with "Lilies of the Field", side 3 with "Let Us Adore The Lord" and side 4 with "Prayer Before The Cross" -- making a definitive statement that the side was complete.



This album is a must-have for anyone who enjoys John Michael Talbot's music."

Good stuff...

Chad Oberholtzer | Boalsburg, PA, USA | 11/07/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Having heard John Michael Talbot several times in concert over the last few years without owning any of his music, I became a fan and hunted down a few of his albums. Several of the others included some of his grander works, which include huge, sweeping orchestral and choral accompaniment. Though I appreciated that music, it was a far cry from the simple, acoustic stuff that he's been touring lately. This album more closely reflected my expectation.



John Michael Talbot has a calming effect that leaks out of his mouth and his fingers. Though he is obviously a very talented singer and guitar player, I appreciate the simplicity of his songs, which don't necessarily reflect his skills. Yet, this is not surprising, as the overall tenor of his music is that of worship, not ego-boosting.



As a Catholic musician, it is not surprising, and quite fascinating, to hear his musical treatment of Saint Francis's "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" canticle. And the entire album stays very reflective and contemplative.



In fact, I have given the album only 4 stars because it is almost too similar from track to track. If you are looking for musical diversity to exhibit the talents of Talbot, this album won't do it. But if you want some quality music by a Christian artist which can't help but bring a sense of serenity into your life, then this is a great place to start. I highly recommend it."

Beautiful

B. Ross | Colorado | 06/15/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Talbot writes worship music like no other artist out there. There is so much confusion today about what is and is not worship. In JMT's music there is no doubt about the vertical nature of his thinking and praise. Adding to that is the sheer beauty of the melodies and musicianship. This is a CD to listen to when you really want to draw near to God."