Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Back in 1995, Arkansas-based singer Harry Browning and Texan guitarist Jimmy Wallace teamed up to release an album on Blueboy Records and it's probably a piece of work that will have flown under the radar of even the most eagle-eyed gospel blues fan. After a curious lack of online presence, the album has finally been re-issued on all of the usual download and streaming platforms and it largely stands the test of time. Chock full of down home blues, Browning's gravelly vocals tell of the rewards of persevering in one's walk with God and songs like the title track, the opener "Stand Your Ground" and the funk-tinged "God Is Good" help to put that message across. Perfectly complementing Browning's vocals is Jimmy Wallace's fluid lead guitar work which covers a variety of different styles including slide, wah wah and even a brief foray in talk box territory (think Peter Frampton) whilst a great horn section adds the icing on the cake in punchy fashion. Highlights include the infectiously positive and God-affirming "Good Thang" and the fun "Everybody Needa Little Help" whilst the Allman Brothers-like "Waymaker" is a joy to hear. Occasionally lengthier tracks like "Cover Me" - a plodding two-chorder reminiscent of Springsteen at his most tedious - and the underdeveloped song of perseverance "One Mo' Day" fail to hit the mark but, at 16 tracks long, there is more than enough here to make this a thoroughly enjoyable hidden nugget of an album.

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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