So how do you follow up a release that features the song of the year? Very soulfully, if you're Bob Carlisle, the man who made "Butterfly Kisses" the 1997 Christian song of the year. Much in the vein of Michael Bolton, Carlisle's strength lies in his brand of gritty blue-eyed soul. And it's never moved stronger than in his new release, Nothing but the Truth. In powerhouse R&B numbers such as "Lay Your Hands on Me" and "Forgiveness," Carlisle pays homage to the music of his youth and a strong exposure to Motown. There's a wonderful duet with Carlisle and Bryan Duncan, himself no vocal slouch, on the cover of "Love Is the Answer." While Carlisle's reworking of Amy Grant's "Baby Baby" seems flat, he ends the release on a rich note with the moving, deeply reflective ballad "After All" (cowritten with Randy Stonehill). --Michael Lyttle