There is an old cliché in rock and roll writing that a singer can be so good, so soulful and dynamic that they could "sing the phone book," or a dictionary, and it would still be enjoyable. But what is the modern equivalent of this saying, now that phone books and dictionaries have been replaced with online search engines? Well, I would suggest that veteran soul-singer and past American Idol finalist Danney Gokey could sing a Wikipedia page and it would still be a stirring experience. With a full voice that fills up every room he is in, and a good track record of albums and concerts in his rearview mirror, Gokey is a welcome and memorable voice whenever he comes over the speakers.

If only he had the songs to match that terrific set of pipes. His latest offering, Sound Of Heaven, has a few quality moments here and there, but does not match the sonic heights and great radio hits of his past few albums, Haven't Seen It Yet and Jesus People.

Kicking off with one of its best moments in the gospel music-centric title track, the album sounds promising with Gokey and a gospel choir raising the roof like a great Sunday morning song should: "I can hear the sound of heaven / Never heard a better melody / Yeah I can hear the sound of heaven / Oh and it sounds like joy to me / I've been listening to the sound of this world / This place is crazy makes me wanna stay in bed / I've been counting all my worries and my problems / I gotta stop to count my blessings instead / I woke up / Breathed in / My heart is beating / Every day is a gift / Oh thank you Jesus." Gokey is completely comfortable in this particular form of gospel music, and it fits his fine voice like a Sunday morning suit and tie.

The album continues treading apace in this genre to lesser results. The slightly hackneyed second song, "wannabe" (which is for some reason intentionally spelled in the lower case, and alas, not a cover of the Spice Girl's song, which would have been really fun), starts to already show signs of running out of ideas musically. The anthemic third tack, "I Got You," rebounds slightly with its hopeful message, but then the run-of-the-mill and cliched "Still On The Throne" (with its "Christianese," in-crowd church language) reveals a pattern of the creative and the cliched rotating throughout the album.

Gokey still sings the dickens out of every song here, but there are times when the proverbial "phone book" does come into play. There are a few more highlights though, like the Caribbean flavored "Todo El Mundo," and the fine closer "Lean On Me" (which is not a cover of the classic soul song of the same name.)

Sound Of Heaven is a mixed bag that finds Gokey in fine form vocally and performance-wise, but lacking in the dynamite songs, like past hits "Wanted" and "Haven't Seen It Yet." Heaven is a fine listen, and inspiring at times, but short on what it might have been as an inspired soul music album.

- Review date: 7/25/24, written by Alex Caldwell of Jesusfreakhideout.com