Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

The deluxe edition of Texas-born gospel singer and actress Tamela Mann's number one Gospel charts best seller (originally released in 2013) kicks off in high octane fashion with three live tracks that showcase the gospel diva's powerful vocal range and, by the reaction of the audience, natural stage presence as she praises God with gusto on the likes of "Guest Of Honor". A former singer with Kirk Franklin and The Family, she uses the smash hit single "Take Me To The King" - written and produced by her old boss - to slow things down and segue into a fairly considered and soulful studio-based section for the remainder release. Despite the alarming image of a warlike Mann wielding a Samurai sword in the inlay card, the remainder of the album brings out her tender side with the likes of "I'll Hold On" and "Here I Am" containing a mature vocal performance that avoids the usual acrobatics sometimes associated with modern gospel while communicating God's love for his children at every turn. Set to a backdrop of soulful R&B sounds rather than straight gospel, Mann and her band offer up a polished set of songs that, whilst not groundbreaking in terms of style or content, make for an enjoyable enough listen. Nonetheless, it's perhaps a bit of a stretch to claim that rejigging the running order and adding two tracks whilst taking away another merits the term "deluxe".

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