Funny the impressions that are left on you by an album and I suppose that is one of the dangers of being a reviewer. As the album arrived without any biographical info, I assumed from listening to it that this was some sort of inspirational album. Quite a clever one at that, as the religious message was delivered in a subtle yet very convincing manner.
Having visited Garrison Doles's website and read about his life, there turned out to be no direct Christian connection. These songs are more the result of a life turned around and that is the true source of the inspiration. Accordingly, these songs are easy to relate to and, curiously, had the same sort of effect on me that Jerry Fielding's soundtrack to the film The Wild Bunch has. Kind of wistful, reflective and full of that feeling of belonging to a time that no longer exists. This is particularly the case for "I Have Been Undone" and "We Give Ourselves Away". In that context, the children's choir that features in "By Your Hand" seemed incongruous but our Mr Doles seems to have got most of his family in on the act here so maybe the song has its own purpose.
Garrison Doles plays with an honesty and warmth that is uncommon these days and "Whenever I'm With You" seems to be an album that comes from the heart. That is to be applauded and I did actually feel uplifted after I listened to it.