TotalPraise.net » Gospel Music Reviews

Deitrick Haddon- Church On The Moon

Keke — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 12:15:07 +0000

Imagine if you will, the superstar sparkle of Kirk Franklin and the bravado of Michael Jackson entangled around fashionable hip-hop beats and urban contemporary extravagance. It’s probably the safest way to describe urban gospel star Deitrick Haddon. He’s since dropped his choirboy image for the cool street evangelist look since 7 Days, his 2006 project produced by hip-hop duo Tim & Bob. On his fifth studio album for Verity, Haddon plays with the concept album motif of Ne-Yo’s Libra Scale to kick off a futuristic gospel sound that plays with the Legos of Lady Gaga and Black Eyed Peas. It’s highly ambitious, crammed tightly with eighteen tracks loaded with lots of cyber-pop and even Auto-tune. Club bounce surfaces on “Reppin’ the Kingdom,” where Haddon steps back from the spotlight to allow fellow gospel contemporaries J Moss, Canton Jones and Tye Tribbett to work in their verses. “Show Stopper” swerves into Chris Brown-style pop, while the Rodney Jerkins-produced “Power,” “One More Chance” and “Fighting Temptation” keeps him on the precipice of R&B crossover. Melodic ballads do offer up some needed balance on the lengthy set. His finest intimate moment, while staying in the realm of extraterrestrial fantasy, is “Gravity,” where Haddon deals with the pressures of Earth:”Wanna share with the world the peace that I’ve found/But gravity keeps on bringing me down.” Halfway into the set, the mood shifts from Lowrider crunk to worshipful gospel (“You Are My Strength,” “Well Done”).

Read entire review by J. Matthew Cobb at: http://hifimagazine.net

Kirk Franklin- Hello Fear

Keke — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 16:22:37 +0000

With a knack for uplifting people through music, Kirk Franklin gives fans encouragement to press on during trying times with his latest album, Hello Fear. But instead of looking into the unknown with trepidation, Franklin (a Dove and GRAMMY Award-winner) greets difficult circumstances with a buoyant proclamation of faith. The best example? A song called “I Smile” that’s counter-intuitively dedicated to “recession, depression, and unemployment.”

See full review written by By Cameron Conant, contributing writer, watchgmctv.com

James Fortune & FIYA- Encore

Keke — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:20:49 +0000

Gospel hitmaker returns with more polished set, despite the preachy ramblings

With the winning hand of radio, James Fortune stands tall as a star in today’s gospel world. Counting his radio smash “I Trust You” and “You Survived,” two exceptional power ballads that pattern the gloried musical paces of Kirk Franklin, Fortune and his troupe FIYA have taking the contemporary gospel playing field by storm, even if it’s very familiar to the Franklin brand. The chatter of Fortune’s talked-out, mostly preached ad-libs to the light whispers from the choral layouts are obvious giveaways to the cherishing pop-like gospel traditions of Franklin’s arsenal. But where Fortune stumbles severely is in his albums’ presentation – crowded with a maximum list of guest singers, busy rhythm sections and the departure from traditional melody. Thankfully, one or two songs rise up as the album’s bread and butter, but Fortune, a better song writer and musician than he is a front man, learns a few important lessons along the way and applies them wittingly on his third record, Encore.

Read entire review by J. Matt at PrayzeHymnOnline: PrayzeHymnOnline.com

Myron Butler & Levi- Revealed…

Keke — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:09:13 +0000

Besides going live and doing more sophisticated worship, Myron Butler makes very little progress in making a golden record.

Being a heir of music greatness has its share of high expectations. Myron Butler knows about that. He once shared the song writing credits with gospel stallwarth Kirk Franklin and led the popular youthful ensemble God’s Property into stardom; planting them into the history books of 1990′s contemporary gospel music. His own works have documented many albums from gospel’s biggest stars (Twinkie Clark, Smokie Norful, T.D, Jakes, Marvin Sapp, DFW Mass Choir). It made sense for Butler, after GP folded into its unfortunate disparity, to strike out on his own. Already two albums in, Myron Butler tries to change his pace some by placing his group, Levi, before a live recording audience and by expanding his turf to cover the acoustic reflective worship in most Contemporary Christian records of today. The first two songs summarizes some of his expeditions into risky chord changes, bold harmonies and melody-bending surmising. The album opener, “Revealed,” works like a sparkling gospel-energized update of MJ’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin” but with a load of intricate funky horn buzzes and call-and-response moments.” Kirk Franklin makes an appearance with Butler on the Motown -meets-Barry White “Just Can’t Live.” Think of the opening of Barry White’s “You’re the First, My Last, My Everything” and the Supremes’ “You Just Keep Me Hangin’ On” and that’s what you get here. “Just Can’t Live” seems like an apropos match, but somehow the song losses steam halfway into the song as it ascends up a chain of mountainous choral and musical shifts. While the vamp, decorated with “ahhs” and lengthy crescendos, tends to keep the momentum going, it takes listeners away from the spunky drive. The last time you hear this kind of tempo and groove is at the tail end of the record, with the go-go partyness of “Covered.” The rest of the record is Butler incorporating pop worship into convoluted gospel harmonics.

Read entire review by J. Matt at PrayzeHymnOnline: http://prayzehymnonline.com

Smokie Norful- Live

Keke — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:54:11 +0000

Since dominating adult contemporary and R&B radio with his bonafide crossover ballad hit “I Need You Now,”, Smokie Norful survived one-hit wonder status and even impressed the Academy by taking home a Grammy win for his 2004 album Nothing Without You in the Best Contemporary Soul Gospel category. Yet it is relevant to add that the coolness of Norful’s career and his relevance on the charts has simmered down some since his goldmine hit. On Live, Norful rediscovers the most popular trend in gospel music by using the live audience to once again build up his army of supporters. Taped at Memphis’ Canon Center, Norful isn’t a total stranger to the live atmosphere. In an effort to meet the surging demand of Norful’s quickly-growing fan base, he recorded the ten-track EP, Limited Edition, months after I Need You Now. Being a full-time pastor of Victory Cathedral Worship Center in Romeoville, IL also benefits him with interacting with his audiences. But the singer/songwriter isn’t as seasoned as a Donnie McClurkin or John P. Kee in a live audience. He stumbles over words and his thoughts during his introduction of “Justified” and he appears to be in rare form only when the music is going. Even his introduction of Heather Headley on the project lacks the oratorical emphasis it deserves.

Read entire review by J. Matt at PrayzeHymnOnline: http://prayzehymnonline.com

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Mike Farris- Shout! Live

Keke — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:49:54 +0000

A careful look at Mike Farris paints images of a young upcoming Johnny Cash with a cool rock edge. Hearing him sing anything conjures the great legends of soul and gospel with a grain of country-rooted rock like American Idol finalist Bo Bice. Last year, he proved to be a strong contender in the underground gospel community with his highly-praised gospel debut Salvation in Lights project, after jumping the broom from performing bluesy rock for the Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies in the 1990s. The shift to gospel came after attending a funeral of his best friend and a near-death experience from an accidental drug overdose. With just little experience, he sings the gospel like an Old Testament prophet like he’s been singing it all his life. And the musical experience feels just like that when he takes on a parade of hymns or Rosetta Tharpe selections using his old-school style of arranging obscure oldies. And while it was a studio effort, Farris sung with such an intensity and conviction that amazingly gave the production a raw, live concert. On Shout! Live, Farris capitalizes on the strengths of his debut by putting them into an intimate lounge setting at the Station Inn without losing the savor of his accompanying horn section or the explosiveness of his revival-anchored music.

Read entire review by J. Matt at PrayzeHymnOnline: http://prayzehymnonline.com

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Ann Nesby- The Lula Lee Project

Keke — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:43:05 +0000

Whether she’s doing mainstream or gospel, Ann Nesby is a force to be reckoned with. Her voice, bubbling with the soulful connections of Aretha Franklin, is highly distinguishable and remains synonymous with the Sounds of Blackness’ glory years. Her tenure with the group, although quite short in the eye of mainstream pop music, is extremely relevant for her career; breaking her into big R&B hits and even placing her in the company of super tag-team producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. After her two-album deal with Jam & Lewis’s Perspective label, she hit the independent scene and even made her mark on the dance world with blazing recordings with house mixer DJ Spen (Jasper Street Company) and her #1 club hit “Lovin’ Is Really My Game.” The tedious journey led her to a cameo appearance in the motion picture The Fighting Temptations, a successful gastric bypass surgery, a GRAMMY-nominated album (This Is Love) and a most-recent label signing with Tyscot Records. On her first Tyscot album, The Lula Lee Project, Nesby takes the high road into superfluous alter-egos learning from the likes of Beyonce’ (Sasha), Mariah Carey (Mimi) and Tonex’ (too many names to print) by introducing us to Lula Lee. But thankfully for a 54-year old grandmother and an established veteran singer in the gospel world, the backdrop of the story isn’t as shallow as it may appear. Lula is the first word of her birth name and Lee is the last name of her husband and manager, Timothy Lee. Still, the super move along with the glossy photos and the recent music video seems to stir up the idea that Nesby may be playing with the familiar tactics of most sophisticated and established diva personas.

Read entire review by J. Matt at PrayzeHymnOnline: http://prayzehymnonline.com

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Holy Boy- Out Of Time

Keke — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:36:15 +0000

At first glance, one might think Holy Boy was just a gospel experiment that surely had R&B superstar Usher in mind. He sure has the looks, the charming smile and the baby-face. But while gospel has always been one step behind the latest craze in pop culture, it’s still never too late to try something refreshing using kiddie-bop sensations and a smidgen of personality. The Mobile, Ala native, born Herbert Woods, is the latest in the gospel-meets-urban saga stepping into the familiar avenues of R&B heartthrobs Usher and Chris Brown hoping to make urban gospel sound more sensational than being an underground movement. And with a name that sounds as if it had leaped out of the pages of Marvel Comics, Holy Boy is sure to rally up a rousing set of kids interested in his urban-pop infused gospel message on his Fontana/Universal debut Out Of Time.

Read entire review by J. Matt at PrayzeHymnOnline: http://prayzehymnonline.com

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Kim Burrell- No Ways Tired

Keke — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:30:38 +0000

It’s been nine years since her last project, but she has been far from inactive. Kim Burrell has landed a great deal of guest appearances on albums with artists like Stevie Wonder, Harry Connick, Jr., Marvin Winans, American Idol judge Randy Jackson, Richard Smallwood, Kirk Whalum and Tye Tribbett. Having state that, solo albums are still an musical artist’s best representation and Burrell fans, even after countless appearances on TBN’s Praise the Lord, have been anxiously awaiting for something fresh from the jazzy riffer. Yet bad news after bad news, including tumultuous record deals going sour with Sony Urban and Tommy Boy, left her faithful followers with a great deal of doubt over a career resurgence. After receiving teasers on Gospelflava.com of an ambitious live recording, live concerts at New York’s Carnegie Hall and throwing out a few promotional singles along the way, Burrell responds with No Ways Tired; her latest studio effort on the Shanachie label. Project wise, this is her most forward leap into gospel jazz even though the album parades around a slew of hymn arrangements and gospel classics. But her remakes are sensibly altered to place strong focus on her jazz background rather than treading the paths of Burrell’s closest cohorts (Nikki Ross, Kierra Sheard, Beyonce’, Fantasia, Ledisi). Rather than putting out a flashy urban R&B-oriented record, she maintains her underground image of performing her unique style of “jazz gospel” without sacrificing much of what she is accredited for starting since her Tommy Boy debut in 1998.

Read entire review by J. Matt at PrayzeHymnOnline: http://prayzehymnonline.com

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Tye Tribbett New Release

Keke — Sat, 10 May 2008 04:22:43 +0000

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image copyright TyeTribbett.com

“Explosive” might be the best word to describe both the career of contemporary gospel singer/songwriter Tye Tribbett and the opening strains of his brand new album, StandOUT on Columbia Records/Integrity Music. Tribbett and his musical ensemble, G.A. (Greater Anointing) have made some serious waves in the music industry since his national debut in 2004. Having performed with a host of pop and gospel superstars like Faith Hill, Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, Timbaland, Donnie McClurkin, Israel Houghton and others, it was at a showcase for another artist that Tribbett and members of G.A. happened to catch the ear of Sony label exec Tommy Mottola. And the rest, as they say, is history. READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT GOSPELMUSICCHANNEL.com