For fans of
Kenneth Cope's early synth-pop albums Voices and
Greater Than Us All, it's still difficult to swallow his mellowing-out phase that will likely last the remainder of his career. But placed in context as easy listening contemporary Christian,
Hear My Praise finds
Cope showcasing that recognizable voice once again, along with acoustic guitar and orchestration following the sound of
A Prayer Unto Thee (1999).
Hear My Praise is as solid as the next album to come out of Salt Lake City, but lacks any fire to re-ignite his popularity among younger listeners. As is the case with many of LDS music's early pop successes,
Cope seems content to target the same fans who grew up with his music in the 1980s and early 1990s, instead of today's teens. Unfortunately, there are few standouts on this effort, even with three songs that have been featured on Especially For Youth compilations -- "The Carpenter's Son" and "White Dress" from Living the Legacy -- 1996, and "What Have I Done With His Name?" from Return With Honor -- 1995. ~ Jared Johnson