Tag: Reviews

“I Can’t Afford” – Lowell Pye

“I Can’t Afford”
Lowell Pye
From the CD, The Master’s Will Project (2015)
www.masterswillmusic.com

Lowell Pye_The Master's Will Project cover artBy Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Lowell Pye appears on The Master’s Will Project with “I Can’t Afford,” a brisk traditional hand-clapper that hearkens to his New Life Community Choir days with John P. Kee.

A standout feature of “I Can’t Afford” is the way in which Lowell skillfully allows ample breathing room within its verses sans a grunt, moan, or riff in every cranny.  The Stellar Award-winning singer seems to focus squarely on delivering the song’s straightforward message: God’s love and goodness continually exceed Lowell’s faults and frailties.  In return, he “can’t afford to let [his] Savior down.”

The Master’s Will Project, executive produced by husband-wife team Dale and Carla Conaway, is the debut release from Master’s Will Music.  Both the full-length CD and “I Can’t Afford” were nominated for Radio Alliance Awards in 2017 for CD of the Year and Traditional Song of the Year, respectively.

“Shout It Loud” – Clifford

“Shout It Loud”
Clifford
From the EP, Love and Worship (2017)
Available at Soundcloud

Cover art for "Shout It Loud" by CliffordBy Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

From the EP Love and Worship, Clifford brings listeners “Shout It Loud,” produced by Dotkeez.  Throughout the CCM vertical worship tune, the singer/songwriter and worship leader extols God’s worth, asserting that he will proclaim his worship thunderously.

Clifford is based in Nigeria and balances careers in both music and medicine. 

"Mercy" – Prince Tai

“Mercy”
Prince Tai
From the CD, Lessons (2017)
Available at iTunes

Prince Tai art workBy Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

I got goodness on my right side
I got mercy on my left
And I know I don’t deserve it
Even my haters callin’ me blessed

Don’t mistake Prince Tai’s declaration for conceit, because while the singer/songwriter acknowledges, “I’m far from what I was,” he makes no bones about his need for God’s continual mercy.  In fact, “Mercy” is the name of his hip-hop tinged contemporary single and the plea therein contained.  The hook alone is infectious, but the prayer lyrically expresses a widespread confession and request: “I’m far from what I was, but I’m not yet what I shall be.  Have mercy on me…”

Prince Tai is based in Norcross, GA, and has caught the eye of notables like Drake, Michelle Williams, Tyrese, Erica Campbell, Tweet, and Missy Elliott.

"King of Glory" – Psalmist Raine & The Refresh Team

“King of Glory”
Psalmist Raine & The Refresh Team (2017)
 
Psalmist Raine King of Glory cover artBy Libra Boyd
 
“King of Glory” is the new single from Psalmist Raine and the Refresh Team’s forthcoming CD, Refresh Worship Live II: For the Nations.  The enthusiastic praise anthem, produced by Nicholas McCree of Salohcin Media Group, invokes the King of Glory’s presence, for “the Lord God strong and mighty is the greatest of them all…King of Glory, we welcome you!”
 
The full-length project was recorded live on September 29, 2017, at Atlanta’s Tabernacle of Praise International Church and is the Chicago-based singer’s fourth live recording.  “King of Glory” is available at CD Baby, and the entire CD is set for release in early 2018.

"The Train" – The Torain Family Singers

“The Train”
Torain Family Singers (October 2017)
www.facebook.com/groups/torainfamily

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

cover art

The Torain Family Singers of Roxboro, NC salute their group’s former lead singer with the spirited single, “The Train,” produced by Demetrius Ledbetter.  As its title suggests, the song incorporates gospel music’s often referenced train metaphor into its rollicking invite for the Heaven-bound ride.

Frances Torain, whose rustic, churchy singing style and non-showy stage presence frequently left congregations craving more, long after she and her group took their seats, boarded the train herself in 2016 (see related story).  

This October, the Torain Family Singers released “The Train,” one of Frances’ most recognizable and requested songs with the group.  Thanks to the magic of digital audio recording and a three year-old amateur live performance archive, Frances rejoins her family on this single for the number’s opening call, “Come on, come on, come on,” to which the family responds, “Don’tcha wanna go?”  From that point, Victor Torain moves the song forward with the family in tow, enthusiastically affirming, “Yes, I want to go!”  The family ultimately charges into the bass guitar-driven vamp with a recurring interjection of “ooh-hoo,” but not before eight year-old Makiyh Allen makes his own affirmative assertion (“Oh yeah!”), echoed by his elders. 

To ride, Victor sings, “You’ve got to be holy / you’ve got to live right / no matter what the people say / you’ve got to live right…”

"Glory to God" ft. Taylor Simone-Butts – Vernon Hill

“Glory to God” featuring Taylor Simone-Butts
Vernon Hill
From the CD, Great Joy (2015)
Available at iTunes

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

“Glory to God” is a featured single from the Great Joy holiday project, presented by producer/songwriter Vernon Hill. 

Taylor Simone-Butts leads the delightfully fluid Christian Adult Contemporary worship song.  Melodically, she calls us to proclaim, like the multitude of the heavenly host in Luke’s biblical narrative, 

We sing glory to God in the highest
Glory to God in the highest
Let there be peace on earth
Goodwill towards men
We sing glory to God in the highest 

The Great Joy CD is available at iTunes.

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" – Wanda Mo'Net

“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
Wanda Mo’Net
Indie (2014)
www.wandamonet.com

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” has been recorded by dozens of artists.  Wanda Mo’Net joins the list of singers and instrumentalists who has now covered the decades-old seasonal tune.

The gospel singer and Atlanta native delivers a recorded performance that boasts warm layers of clear, crisp urban contemporary-styled vocals.  Though I occasionally hear pitch correction technology at work, I imagine it is probably more for stylistic effect than for actual pitch inaccuracies.  After all, Wanda has been singing publicly since the age of three, has shared the stage with a host of gospel greats, and is a former member of the Georgia Mass Choir.

"Prayer Changes Things" – Adriann Lewis-Freeman

“Prayer Changes Things”
Adriann Lewis-Freeman (2017)
Daf Entertainment Group
Available at iTunes
 

Prayer Changes Things Adriann Lewis-Freeman art workBy Libra Boyd

Gospel Music Fever
 
If you don’t have a tambourine, you’re going to want one for Adriann Lewis Freeman’s current single, “Prayer Changes Things.”
 
Known by many as the lead singer for RiZen, Lewis-Freeman has returned from a recording hiatus—which included earning a pair of degrees, getting married, and teaching middle school—to deliver this enthusiastic proclamation.  The singer and pastor’s wife sings “Prayer Changes Things” like she knows it, because she does.  (Among other challenges, Lewis-Freeman has endured a cancer diagnosis.)  Throughout the foot-stomping number, Lewis-Freeman vocally teeters between song and sermon.  In the drive, she summons a trio of the Bible’s notable witnesses—Daniel, Paul, and Silas—to affirm the power of prayer.  “Prayer Changes Things” is produced by Ay’Ron Lewis.

"I Give You Everything" – Charlene Moore

“I Give You Everything”
Charlene Moore (2017)
Available at iTunes

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

“I Give You Everything” is the current single by San Francisco Bay Area singer/musician Charlene Moore.  The ebullient urban contemporary tune is copious with soul and heft, which is evident from the moment Moore wraps her robust, raspy vocal around the first verse:

Lord, I come to You with arms outstretched, nothing to hide;
Offering all that I have without any pride.
Take everything–it’s all for You!

“I Give You Everything” features Moore’s industry friends Martha Wash, Bishop Yvette Flunder, and Sara Williams.

"Glimpse" – Juan Santiago & Uninhibited Praise

Juan Santiago & Uninhibited Praise "Glimpse" art work

“Glimpse”
Juan Santiago & Uninhibited Praise (March 4, 2017)
www.jsuplive.com

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

“Glimpse” is the new single from multi award-winning international recording group, Juan Santiago & Uninhibited Praise (JSUP). Ecstatic applause and a one-minute guitar-infused intro kick off the CCM track through which JSUP proclaims, “Just to get a touch from You / Just to get a glimpse of You / We will be whole.” Santiago, the ensemble’s founder, allows his expressive vibrato to come to the fore as he enthusiastically leads the pulsating vertical worship song.

“Glimpse,” penned by Anthony Shepard, was recorded live in Baltimore and produced by Damion Murrill. It appears on JSUP’s forthcoming full-length project, scheduled for release later this year.