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Avalon is a highly recognized Christian group that has been around for years, although they’ve gone through many changes, original member Michael “Father Avalon” Passons leaving the group and new members Melissa Greene and Greg Long, Janna Long’s husband, joining. But somehow, this quartet has come out stronger than ever and their latest recording, Another Time. Another Place. is yet another showcase of their talent.

Grant Cunningham, A&R Director at Sparrow Records, originally formed Avalon in 1995. In the thirteen years of their career they have performed in front of over 500,000 fans, hit the 3 million sales mark and seen their 20th radio single reach number one, and that’s just the tip of their long resume, they were voted “Group of the Year” for three years in a row with the 2002, 2003 and 2004 CCM Reader’s Choice Award.

The best way to describe this album is “your parents praise and worship, the remix”. The songs are still the same but the musical accompaniment doesn’t make your eyes droop like they did when you were younger. This is Avalon’s 9th album, and last with original member Jody Mcbrayer, who left the group due to heart problems.

Honestly, I struggled for a great amount of time over how to review this CD. I have listened to this group for years, and have thoroughly enjoyed their original hits, such as Testify to Love and Adonai, and when I first got this album, I thought it was their greatest hits. However, when I found out that this was nothing more than a cover album, I felt a little duped. Betrayal aside this album is fantastic -- Avalon once again shows their ability to accompany one another very well. Also, all the artist individual talents seem to be on showcase on this album, proving that divided that will stand, but together they are at they are at their strongest, A good example of this is on the first single released from this album God is in Control. a cover of the Twila Paris classic.

One of my personal favorites is Place in this World, what makes this Michael W. Smith classic so great is the lack of Michael W. Smith. People Get Ready and Addictive Love were my personal favorites. All three of these songs showed the best and worst features of this album, covers are meant to be a groups interpretation of others work, but at times it seems that everything is still the same as the original song the only difference being the singer.

I do want to say this: if Avalon plans on re-releasing their hits every time they change members they will never have to write a song again. The re-released version of Testify to Love, brings to mind the saying “if it ain’t baroque don’t fix it”. This song is one of the weakest on the album and a part of me thinks they knew this, which is why it was put last. Friend of A Wounded Heart comes off a little too Joel-Osteen-let’s-all-just-be- happy, making this seem more like the theme song for a late night support a child infomercial than a message about helping one another. Also, when will artist understand that just because a choir is accompanying on a song, doesn’t mean that you have to turn into Christina Aguilera to be heard.

If you're stuck in traffic, Another Time, Another Place is the CD for you. So, drop it in the car and get ready to be taken away.