Joe Anfuso: Meet His Gaze

By Keith Hannaleck

• Artist: Joe Anfuso
• Title: Meet His Gaze
• Genre: Christian, Folk, Rock
• Label: Independent
• Website: http://forwardedge.org
• Purchase this CD: CD Baby

Joe Anfuso is doing some exceptional work to make the world a better place. I am impressed by the accomplishments of his life. I am doing something I never do, take something from an artists’ site verbatim…

Joe Anfuso is the founder and president of Forward Edge International (FEI), a relief and mission’s organization dedicated to mobilizing ordinary people to share God’s love in practical ways in the U.S. and around the world. Forward Edge specializes in disaster response work, providing health care in poor communities, and addressing the needs of at-risk children. Since 1983, Forward Edge has sent more than 9,000 volunteers from across America to many parts of the U.S. and 34 foreign countries.

I listened to this CD for the first time with no idea of what was behind it all with the exception that there was a Christian message in between the music. My first impression was Anfuso was a person that knew how to strum the guitar with a mediocre voice but had a defined purpose behind his music. What happens, just as it always does for me, I listened several times and with each listen, my perception became more open to looking and listening to the entire picture not just one aspect. Speaking of pictures, the CD cover is interesting. Go to CD Baby and download the cover and look at the size of the cover, it is very small and not too hard to distinguish that an eye is staring back at you, thus the title Meet His Gaze. Then take the cover and put it at around 2.07” and what you see is a pixilated image. To be honest I did not even notice this until I went through that process. My point here is that we are looking through the world with clouded vision these days; we do not see the truth of our existence. If we see it for what it really is and live as the good lord had intended then the picture becomes clear. I do not want to go overboard and be philosophical or opinionated; I just want to point out my view of this project in its entirety.

Back to the music-Joe is not the best singer in the world but he can carry a tune good enough to get the job done, and has an ability to get his point across. Although I have to say on “On Our Own Down Here” he sounds very strong and adds some electric guitar and bass to make it a driving rhythm with some punch. He tones it down on the other tracks because of the acoustic foundation and it makes sense why he approaches each song this way. There is a very important message that needs a voice and sending it through your music is a very viable medium.

I have no doubt Joe lays his heart on the line in every track, which is a lot more than most people do when they record an album. If you are looking to party down and rock out this is not your ticket there, however if you choose to sit back, collect your thoughts, hear some simple folk music with words that make sense and have a positive message, then I would suggest giving this CD a chance.

Reviewed - June 5, 2007

Tracks:

01. Meet His Gaze
02. Karen
03. Till Death
04. All I Need
05. On Another's Sorrow
06. O, Rachel
07. On Our Own Down Here
08. Do Not Fear
09. Safely Home
10. Somewhere