Reviewed by Andy Cooper

Tye and his New Jersey outfit Greater Anointing Choir has risen to become one of the new stars in the gospel firmament and this latest set demonstrates why. Here Tye has written and produced most of the songs, successfully fusing an almost bewildering array of musical styles with the foundations of gospel: "Hold On" is a funky R&B groove with full choral harmonies laying on top; "I Made It Through" is a quirky jazz vamp; "I Need You" is a seriously uplifting traditional choral gospel number; but then there is "Bless The Lord" which sounds like Hillsong United have joined the party, and the grunge-rock of "Prodigal Son"; and "So Amazing" is a great one for head-banging! The boundaries of gospel music have been stretched and energised like a bungee rope over Niagara Falls. Tye's band is electrifying, including an absolutely outstanding drummer called George "Spanky" McCurdy! The guitars and horns rock too. While the choir pull off a number of eccentric and outstanding riffs, they're not quite as on the cusp as Kirk's backers, but the soloists (including Tye himself) keep the neck hairs from going idle. Particularly impressive are Kim Burrell on "He Has Made Me Glad" and Kiki Sheard with the smooth and dynamic "Look Up". With genuinely encouraging lyrics and a refreshingly new sound, this album has achieved its aim: it certainly does stand out!

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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