Brian Courtney Wilson – Just Love (Deluxe Edition)

Brian Courtney Wilson
Just Love – Deluxe Edition
Music World Gospel 2010
http://www.musicworldgospel.com/

If you don’t know who gospel’s Brian Courtney Wilson is, you haven’t been paying attention.

Wilson is a crooner with the ability to save souls and break hearts at the same time. His handsome and soulful voice is like unto BeBe and Marvin Winans, with the smoothness of Donny Hathaway layered like icing on top. Wilson’s debut CD Just Love, and the single “All I Need,” have been mainstays on the Billboard gospel charts for more than a year.

Today, Mathew Knowles’ Music World Gospel released a deluxe edition of Just Love. This repackaged version contains the original album in its entirety and five new songs. A special DVD included in the set contains behind-the-scenes exclusive footage of the making of Just Love and a video of Wilson singing at a worship service at Bethany Baptist Church in Lindenwold, New Jersey.

Of the new songs, “Awesome God,” is not only the best, but ranks as one of Wilson’s finest. It is a breathtaking praise anthem originally written for the choir at Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, where Wilson reoriented his life some years ago.  It is a song delivered passionately and with a sprinkling of Richard Smallwood swagger in its majestic arrangement.

“The Word” is also a likeable new track. “This Christmas” is not exactly new – it originally appeared on labelmate Trin-I-Tee 5:7’s Christmas album last year – but may be new to some.  For certain it demonstrates the Donny Hathaway influence on singer-hymnist Wilson.

The deluxe edition transforms Brian Courtney Wilson’s already splendid solo debut into a gospel masterpiece, one of the best releases this year. One can expect more great things in the future from the former pharma rep from Chicago who rediscovered his true calling at Windsor Village.

Five of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “Awesome God,” “All I Need,” “Believe.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.