“That Name Is Jesus” Beloved St. John Evangelistic Church Independent (2022) www.BelovedStJohn.org By Robert M. Marovich As long as Pastor Clement M. Lumpton III and the Beloved St. John Evangelistic Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, keep on singing, the church choir will remain relevant. On its latest single, “That Name is Jesus,” the choir celebrates the name and the intercession of Jesus with a traditional-sounding melody and arrangement complete with a backbeat supported by handclapping. A delightfully raspy-voiced female lead vocalist conducts a call-and-response with the choir. It’s especially effective during a litany of the many names of Jesus. Founded in ...

Releases First Single “Love Letter” Available Everywhere June 24, 2022 Label Debut Due Out Fall 2022 Shanachie Entertainment is pleased to announce the release of “Love Letter,” the first single from Anthony Nelson & The Overcomers’ inaugural single from Anthony’s forthcoming and yet untitled release due in Fall 2022. Written by Anthony and Shanzel Willis and produced by Anthony with Desmin Gore, “Love Letter” is a beautiful soaring expression of gratitude for the Lord’s blessings. “’Love Letter’ is a ballad and humble gesture of admiration to our Lord and Savior,” Anthony says. “Nostalgically speaking, love letters were a great way ...

“He is the King” M. Cornelius Wyche & Octave Praise From the Enon Music Group album The Script (release date: January 14, 2022) www.enonmusic.com By Robert M. Marovich On their latest single, “He is the King,” M. Cornelius Wyche & Octave Praise worship the Lord, who is the antidote for the depression and despondency brought on by the extended pandemic. Along with featured soloists Dr. Kevin Bond and Pastor Suzie Wright, the choir delivers its worship with heavy harmonies and throaty vibrato, while the rhythm section pounds the beat deep into the earth. Pastor Suzie Wright of Zion Apostolic Christian ...

“Nothing Else Matters (Instead of Complaining, Praise Him)” Brent Jones JDI Records By Robert M. Marovich Brent Jones’ latest single, “Nothing Else Matters,” is a four-minute festival of praise set to a bouncy mid-tempo arrangement featuring Jones and the full-throated choir in call-and-response. “I don’t care who’s looking at me,” Jones declares, preparing to get his praise on as the choir handclaps. “Nothing Else Matters” follows “Open Your Mouth and Say Something,” a Billboard chart-topper for more than 54 weeks, earning Dove and Stellar Award nominations. While the new single is less complex than “Mouth,” the big choir sound and ...

“Thank You” David Walker and High Praise ENON / The Key of David Music Group (release date: April 29, 2022) By Robert M. Marovich After a frenetic prog fusion intro, David Walker’s fulsomely-rendered “Thank You” settles into a contemporary male-led choir groove. High Praise offers full-throated support for Walker as he transitions into a preacher’s ferociousness, offering praise and thanksgiving for, well, everything. The single, written by James Ziegler, features conventional lyrics that explode with youthful vitality that bounces off the walls of the speakers. Though the choir hails from Atlanta, it has the intensity of East Coast choirs like ...

Marvin Sapp Substance Elev8 Media & Entertainment / Thirty Tigers (release date: June 10, 2022) www.marvinsapp.com By Robert M. Marovich “There is no failure in God” is an apt summation of the thematic content of Substance, Bishop Marvin Sapp’s 15th album and latest solo effort. Though varied in arrangement, the songs essentially come back around to messages of faith in God as the rock in a weary land. Examples of the album’s varied musical palette include “Serve the Lord,” which Sapp calls a song “for my mother.” It has a smooth modern quartet sound with the classic kick drum backbeat, ...

“My Everything” Min. Golanda Walton-Blackwell SG&E Records (release date: April 16, 2022) By Robert M. Marovich Georgia gospel singer Min. Golanda Walton-Blackwell pulls out all the stops for her debut single, “My Everything.” The song’s message of praise and gratitude are set to a contemporary gospel slow-burner that resolves in a fiery vamp. Here, Min. Golanda lets loose like an evangelist with her testimony and as a result does her finest singing. She peppers lines with blue notes as the radio edit fades, leaving the listener wanting to hear the rest. Comforting and compelling.

“Power in the Blood” Dr. Prince Yelder & the Disciples for Christ Tyscot Records (release date: April 1, 2022) www.tyscot.com By Robert M. Marovich With a nod to the song’s composer, Bishop Leonard Scott, Dr. Prince Yelder & the Disciples for Christ offer a resounding and high-energy version of “Power in the Blood.” In her commanding alto, lead singer Brenda Card testifies about the power of the blood in a lyrical conversation with the choir, as the musicians pump out a bracing beat. The choir uses its brief solo to deliver majestic New G-style chords and cascading harmonies. The song ...

Angelo & Veronica The Original Recordings, 1990-1991 A&V Music (release date: April 25, 2022) www.angeloandveronica.com By Robert M. Marovich Christian music duo Angelo & Veronica’s recent release, The Original Recordings: 1990-1991, could easily have been titled (with deference to Dylan) The Basement Tapes. The twelve-track collection was recorded in Angelo Petrucci’s mother’s basement in 1990 and 1991, prior to the duo’s signing with the Benson Company and the company’s subsequent decision to hire another producer for the group’s debut album. The basement tape was long forgotten until Angelo came across it in his garage, not the worse for wear. Indeed, ...

“Everything Will Be Alright” Harold Wade Sr. Independent (release date: August 31, 2021) By Robert M. Marovich Little Rock, Arkansas, pastor Harold Wade Sr. and his choir offer tender words of encouragement on this comforting ballad that hearkens back to the golden era of recording church choirs. “Everything Will Be Alright” features call-and-response as Wade, leader of New Life Church, speaks the lyrics as the choir and vocalist Tiana Green respond in kind with song—a technique gospel enthusiasts will remember either from James Cleveland’s work with the Caravans on “Solid Rock” or Kirk Franklin’s hit, “Why We Sing.” Though not ...