Reviewed by Sue Rann

First, a Health Warning: if you insist on singing along with Ms Crawford (the Princess of Gospel Music according to the frenetic compere, who has obviously already been singing along), you will end up with a horrendous sore throat. Compared to, say, the Queen of Gospel Music, Shirley Caesar, Bev is not quite raving and running around the stage biting chunks out of her microphone, but it's close. You have been warned! Ms Crawford has an intriguing Cleo Laine-like tendency to utter her 's's as 'sh's, hence she's shtanding fayshe to fayshe, apparently with the Holy Shpirit. This odd speech impediment only emerges on slow numbers, which Ms Crawford handles with a touch less vocal conviction than the big choir-backed stompers like "This House", "Just As Soon (I'll Be Shouting)", and "Born Again", my top track on this disc. It has an incredible laid-back jazz intro, enthusiastically enjoyed by the audience, and Ms Crawford rises to the challenge with tight vocal control and real soul. The vocals rise and fall in wonderful wildcat yowls in the last verse, and end with a series of bloodcurdling groans that could have been recorded straight from your local labour ward - "Born Again", indeed!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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