Harry Connick, Jr. spotlights his spirituality as well as his adept multi-instrumental chops on his intimate 2021 album
Alone with My Faith, recorded on his own while in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic (with some mixing and production assistance by
Tracey Freeman).
Connick has recorded big band, small group, and orchestral albums in the past, not to mention his work on Broadway. Here, he adds yet another genre to his resume, interpreting traditional hymns and gospel songs alongside similarly soulful originals. It's not quite as easy a fit as his past ventures, but
Connick achieves some transcendent moments on the record, thanks in no small part to his omnipresent virtuosity, playing every instrument on every track. You might expect that an album
Connick recorded in isolation would be a pared-down affair featuring little more than his voice and a trusty old piano, but he proves to be a pretty self-sufficient one-man band, performing keys, horns, guitar, percussion, and backing harmonies.
Connick's aw-shucks brand of charisma has often shined best on standards of the American pop tradition, making
Alone with My Faith something of an unexpected side-step. This album feels more in line with his forays into
Stevie Wonder-esque soul and pop on 1996's
Star Turtle and 2015's
That Would Be Me. It's a facet of his repertoire that feels joyful and exuberant, even if it's not perhaps the best use of his charming sincerity as a performer. From the '80s drum machine on the title track to the analog synths of "Thank You For Waiting (For Me)," the vintage R&B sound that pervades much of the album clearly holds a place in his heart, and it grows on you as he moves from track to track. Meanwhile, the gospel organ and twangy guitar of songs like "That Old Rugged Cross" and "Old Time Religion" conjure a rousing,
Ray Charles-like old-timeyness that fits squarely in
Connick's wheelhouse. ~ Matt Collar
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