"So if the table's empty/I'll say grace anyway... If the fields are drying up/Beneath the blazing sun/I'l be grateful for the blessings/Before the rain comes."  You can't help but feel goose bumps when the Dills sing these lines on their title cut "Before the Rain."  This is because it is easy to say grace when we have a bountiful table full of blessings.  But to be able to give thanks in the midst of want is counter intuitive and it demands putting our faith in God in motion.  This is faith in sneakers; this is faith acted out in our everyday happenstance.  And this is the reason why the Dills' latest release "Before the Rain" is such an anointed recording.  Each of these ten songs is a poignant sermon illustration of faith building stories sung to encourage everyday folks like you and me.  The Dills, made up of Shawn and Tim Dills together with their wives LeeAnn and Bridget, have been around for years.  In fact, "Before the Rain" is their seventh release.  Yet, unlike their previous album which was more a worship record, this record falls more into the country gospel category with a more progressive touch of Southern Gospel harmonies. 

Emblematic of the album's DNA is the album opener "A Song to Sing.'  With LeeAnn handling the lead vocals before segueing into their familial four part harmony by the time of the chorus, this energetic upbeat burner grounds its message that in trusting Christ despite life's unexpected turns. Teasing out this theme in a balladry setting is the aforementioned "Before the Rain."  Tim Dill's warm and sensitive tenor, the strong melodic structure, and the heartwarming message of trusting God in the midst of wants truly makes this track the album's gem.  With "Before the Rain' now released as a single, given the right promotion, this song is going to do spiritual wonders in lives of God's people.  "I Still Trust You," formerly cut by the McFalls and the Dunaways, may not be as hypnotic as the title cuts but this power ballad is a fine exhibition of Bridget's gorgeous voice.  Bridget gets another chance at the lead with "This is How We Know" ---  sparkling, breezy and ultra-catchy, this will get us dancing in the field of two-stepping fiddles.

Taking advantage of the genre's use of narratives is Brian Arnold's "A King and a Pauper."  Sounding like a parable Jesus would have told, underneath the narrative guise of "A King and a Pauper" is a challenge for us to choose the way of Jesus or the way of wealth.  In the creative department, this song is definitely Grade A+ material.  The Dills go into Praise and Worship terrain with "As for Me and My House," a most fitting response call after the challenge laid out in "A King and A Power."  One of the Dills' concert highlights is their glorious four part harmony take of "The Lord's Prayer."  And the wishes of fans were finally granted when the Dills have finally captured "The Lord's Prayer" here on disc.

Perhaps the only misstep is their re-recording of their former hit "Oh What a Beautiful City."  Other than being done in a key lower, there is not much point in resurrecting this tune again especially considering the fact that there are only ten tracks on the record.  Also, "I Wouldn't Change It," though not inferior in any way, is a bit repetitious dragging on the theme of trusting God in hard times which has been dealt with on other songs.  "Before the Rain" may not be perfect but it is still a stellar record.  These ten paeans are not only pleasant on the ears but they provide lessons teaching us not only to lip-synch our faith but to put it into action in our daily lives.