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First of all, let me clarify my four-star rating: for what's on the CD, it is a five-star collection--not a bad song in the set (amazingly.). But they missed a couple from earlier albums: "A Child's Love," "Strong Medicine," and "Have Yourself Committed" should definitely be on there, and one could make a case for "Holy Rollin'" and a couple more.Greatest Hits CDs are so hard to do. Maybe they should have just included MERCY as a bonus CD, which would have cleared they way for six other tracks---a few earlier songs and a few more recent ones ("Glad Morning" from THE LAST TIME. I'm not sure which I would have picked to leave off, but I would have come up with something (maybe "Things Are Gonna Change").Another complaint: if you're going edit out half of "I'll Not Forget You," then don't tarnish the song by including just part of it. Maybe one disc just wasn't enough. It is a great song and deserves to be included in its entirety. However, having been a huge Bryan Duncan fan since MERCY and having all of his CDs from before that album, whoever makes the decisions could have included a couple of "older" songs to round it out. They are never going to completely please everybody, but they gave this one a good shot.
I admire their wish to maximize the disc space, but give us the whole song.Bonus points for including a couple of compilation songs, too: "A Heart Like Mine" (one of his best songs ever) and "One Voice," along with the marginally obscure "Bryan's Hymn" from QUIET PRAYERS (bonus points for that one).Six songs from MERCY (including the remixed "Love Takes Time"), three from SLOW REVIVAL, two from BLUE SKIES, one from THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE.The two from ANONYMOUS CONFESSIONS were a big bonus, and both are great songs ("Love You With My Life" & "We All Need"). I would have complained if they had not included at least one of these songs. ). He's that good.
When I lost my child, I was feeling really alone. The song 'I'll Not Forget You' totally lifted me spirits, and made me realize that I'm not the only one who had experienced a loss. Beautiful lyrics and music. If you have lost a child, this album is definetly for you.
I've been getting into a lot of alternative, r&b, and country artists who sing Christian music lately. 'You Don't Leave Me Lonely' has the same effect; like 'A Heart Like Mine', it is a gorgeous smooth production of a song. Those songs are my two favorite Duncan songs, but every other hit song from his past albums that has been collected here on "Love Takes Time" is wonderful. That's why I'm so glad I bought this CD. He combines the voice with the slick smooth soul sound of the music, and it just sounds so beautiful together that I feel like crying thinking about the awesome love of God and the beauty of Duncan's songs. Bryan Duncan's music has really touched my life over the years though I never owned a CD of his till I bought "Love Takes Time". I enjoy them all but sometimes forget how much I enjoy good clean Christian pop with slick soulfulness and smooth vocals. When you think about people you love who died or you lost contact with them, the lyrics of 'You Don't Leave Me Lonely' just lifts you up when you feel sad about how much you miss them.
The song 'A Heart Like Mine' made me want to cry the first time I heard it; it is absolutely a beautiful song, and at the time I first heard it I was going through one of those days when I felt unworthy/unloved and then here's Bryan singing about God's amazing love for us no matter what we are like. I was bawling needless to say. What makes Duncan's songs so powerful and touching to the heart is that he has a smooth polished voice without any scratchy or raw sound to it, yet it is still a powerful voice without any weakness even so. Duncan's music is inspiring and life changing; "Love Takes Time" is definitely worth every penny you spend on it.
And his lyrics always speak to the deepest part of my heart. I just got this CD and it is so good. I've loved Bryan's voice since he was with Sweet Comfort Band -- it's such a distinctive voice, so smooth and rich. It's like I'm listening in to a private conversation between him and God. If you like Bryan Duncan, you'll love this CD.
I'm a relatively new fan of Bryan Duncan and with this album I'm FOREVER hooked.
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