Billy Gaines – There Will Be A Day
This review, however, is not about that. Maybe it is, however. It doesn’t matter if you call Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior, pray to Mecca and worship Allah, whatever, Billy Gaines’ “There Will Come A Day” reminds anyone twisting in the wind that, eventually, the wind dies down or changes direction. He packages that in an endlessly entertaining musical vehicle that isn’t the sort of shallow pop-minded near-Muzak naysayers of spiritual music cite as its chief flaw.
Gaines spent a significant part of his forty-year plus career singing alongside his ex-wife Sarah Gaines but his talents as a solo performer come through just as impressively. The clear R&B roots of Gaines’ voice give it a soulful light burning deep within and his long experience gives his voice an effortlessly gliding quality. “There Will Come A Day” has a gentle overall sway that draws listeners into its web.
Much of this sway is thanks to the piano playing. There are several graceful, even eloquent, runs sparkling just below the surface of the mix. The playing gives the song an unexpected percussive counterpoint while still unspooling memorable melodic flights. It pairs well with crisp and authoritative drumming that punctuates the performance with the sort of gravitas it deserves. “There Will Come A Day” marries the inspired and inexorable in unexpected ways.
His spiritual perspective is welcome. It’s in the “take heart, believer” school of Christian Contemporary music rather than admonishing sinners. This affirmative quality, however, reaches far beyond the scope of religion. The lyrics for the song are written in such a way that they have a universal relevance you cannot deny. It’s an effective device as it gives the non-religious motivation to keep listening even if they disagree with Gaines’ underlying beliefs.
There’s a thin synthesizer sheen blanketing much of the track. However, it’s never a distraction and shifts as the song changes demand. The production prioritizes Gaines’ voice and it is the right move. It does, however, surround his voice with a slight echo that some may deem a bit needless. Gaines’ voice is evocative enough to create its atmospherics and hearing him unaltered, unfiltered would be much more affecting.
He’s earned the respect of his peers for that impressive voice. Gaines has worked alongside a diverse range of artists from the legendary Amy Grant, Vanessa Williams, and Nicole C. Mullen, among others. Such outstanding credits are a measure of his abiding talents as well – he crosses eras and genres while maintaining his fundamental strengths. “There Will Come A Day” is the latest illustration of his evergreen gifts.
Despite the focus on Gaines’ voice, the backing vocals may be the crowning touch for some listeners. They are never overwrought and punctuate the lead vocal with marvelous feeling. It accentuates the song’s R&B influences as well. Billy Gaines has hit upon just the right presentation for this single and I’m grateful to hear its message when the world seems to get crazier every day
