Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

One of the great underground R&B albums. Originally released in 1997 and long deleted, Christian R&B fans have been sobbing, desperate to get hold of this and finally it gets a worldwide release. The fact that it still sounds phat and phresh is a tribute to Tonex s musical vision. Creatively he's as versatile as Prince so his music takes in R&B, gospel, jazz, soul, retro funk and some mellow grooves and he delivers in every category! There are plenty of standouts here so let s have a quick round up! Both versions of One Good Reason address the issues of Church judgment on his music in a similar fashion as Franklin has covered it - with funky music that captures the heart and soul. On the song he sings, they tell me I'm too wild/They say I have to tone down. Whether you like the retro-funk or Macy Gray-tyle modern R&B versions, the song is a classic! The 1U Need is a pulsating groove complete with wonderful cartoon samples thrown into the rhythm track! Totally wonderful! At the other extreme there s the repentant jazz ballad Why? Which powerfully, prayerfully explores issues of grace. Staying in laid-back mode, Taxi has that Sam blissed out feel whilst a song like Personal Jesus is a funky testimony ballad. Uncompromising message, fabulous music, fresh production ideas, this album is an absolute classic. Listening to this, I predict that this 24 year old will have a significant impact on the gospel scene akin to Kirk Franklin and Fred Hammond. Yes! He s that good! Don t hesitate to hotfoot it to your local Christian music emporium and buy it immediately. To wait is to deny your soul the refreshment it deserves.

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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