The Reason starts off with the lead single and title track and while it’s obvious from this song that Diamond Rio is aiming for CCM Airplay, the great harmonies and musicianship that has always been the glue to Diamond Rio’s music is still present. Lyrically the song is about acknowledging the power of somebody to help guide us through life, in this case God. CCM star Matthew West co-wrote “This Is My Life” with Marty Roe and Jimmy Olander of Diamond Rio and the song could work on country radio just as easily as it will on CCM radio as the lyrics of the track could easily be about a close loved one as they are about God.
“Just Love” is another track that could work well in a country music chart setting with the sterling harmonies and Gene Johnson’s stellar mandolin playing showing up in the mix. The lyrics also are about the different ways love can affect you, be it with family, friends or God. “Moments Of Heaven On Earth” is a lyrically strong song that is backed by a brilliantly paced melody and a reminder of good things in our everyday lives. “My God Does” is a song written by Sarah Buxton, Bob DiPiero and Craig Wiseman and this smoky, bluesy number almost feels completely outta place on The Reason except for the fact that it’s a song about realizing that God can help you if you let him do it. This one, perhaps more than any other track on the record, has a great chance at getting some sort of secular radio airplay, perhaps even on country radio. If not, it still will be a stellar live song.
Roe, Olander and West re-team to co-write “Wherever I Am” a story song about God and his love for everyone, not just the ‘chosen ones.’ The group re-visits the track “In God We Still Trust,” a song which was released as a single on their final Arista Records album, Greatest Hits Volume 2.” The odd thing about this production is that it sounds ‘more country’ and ‘less CCM’ than the ‘country recording’ is.
While The Reason won’t likely get much airplay on country radio it does prove that Diamond Rio are still a talented band who can sing CCM music just as well as they can sing country music and the hallmarks of every Diamond Rio record are still very present: great harmonies, strong musicianship and great song selection.
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