Steel Witness

Daniels' second gospel set finds him firmly fixed in his comfort zone of country-rock with strong hooks. Whether he's condemning hypocrites on "New Pharisees," acknowledging someone's prayers on the bouncy "Somebody Was Prayin' for Me," or venturing into revival territory on "Jesus," all the songs exude sinuous melodies and catchy hooks. The prettiest song is the bluesy ballad "Heart of My Heart," which Daniels endows with a soulful rhapsody. Steel Witness isn't as coherent and satisfying as his first gospel set, but it's still good.