Provision – Devotion

Provision

Devotion (2010)

Provision is a five-member contemporary quartet from Albany, Georgia. The group’s harmonies conjure memories of Commissioned but their style has the churchy bounce and hard-shouting to please traditionalists.

In fact, I cannot decide who shouts harder: Cornelious Drake or Jeffrey Newberry, Jr.  Both give Clarence Fountain and the late Bob Washington a run for their money.  But one thing’s for sure: members of Provision are clearly fans and serious students of old-school classic quartets like the Gospel Keynotes, Violinaires, and Slim and the Supreme Angels.

As if to prove the point, the strongest tracks on their full-length project, Devotion, are three drive-tempo songs: “Room at the Cross,” “Packin’ Up!” and “I’m Going Home.” “Packin’ Up” is an excellent cover of the Ward Singers’ classic that is guaranteed to get listeners on their feet and clapping along. Same with “I’m Going Home,” which links the ying and yang of contemporary and traditional quartet seamlessly.

Guest artists populate Devotion.  The bluesy “Telephone” (aka “Jesus is on the Mainline”) features Pastor Earl Hallmon, and Teddy Cross leads “My Life Will be Sweeter.” The testosterone-heavy project concludes with some female can-do as Memphian Lisa Knowles (of Lisa Knowles & GIC) steps in to give “God Will Make a Way” some gospel chutzpah.

Provision is one of those rare young groups that can get over with enthusiasts of contemporary quartet as well as traditional. They’re keeping the old sound alive and relevant at the same time.

gPod Picks: “Room at the Cross,” “Packin’ Up!,” “I’m Going Home.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.