Beauty for Ashes  (Audio CD) 
by Crystal Lewis

If there's such a thing as a contemporary Christian music diva, Crystal Lewis is it. Lewis always tailors her formidable vocals for the task--whether it be for an uptempo groove or for a soft and tender ballad. She shines on Beauty for Ashes, a 1996 release that features uplifting anthems such as "People Get Ready... Jesus Is Comin,'" a number one CCM hit, ballads such as "Lion and the Lamb" and "Seasons Change," and the funky groove of "God's Been Good to Me." "Healing Oil," the release's final track, is a pleasing testimonial that showcases the silken vocals of Lewis over a heavily programmed and keyboard-layered aural backdrop. It is no doubt Lewis's graceful mastering of diversity that explains her garnering a 1998 Dove Award for Female Vocalist of the Year. --Michael Lyttle