Various ArtistsChristian Gospel Work Out
AceBeat Music (2013)
By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog
With more than forty titles on the market, AceBeat Music of Piscataway, New Jersey has carved a niche for itself in providing faith-based soundtracks to fitness workouts. One of its latest compilations is Christian Gospel Work Out, or music for the body and soul.
As a marathoner as well as a gospel music writer and historian, this piqued my curiosity. Could this various artists offering be better than my two-hour running mix? The best way to find out was to put it to the test.
I noticed that the total running time of my review copy was 47 minutes (a 71 minute version is also available)—the amount of time it takes me to run five miles. Seeing a rare opportunity to review a project for TBGB while running, I loaded the CD into my iPod after work and hit the Chicago Lakefront Path on a 75 degree evening.
At its essence, Christian Gospel Work Out is holy house music: contemporary gospel tracks blended with repetitive, pulsing beats and sound samples. Darren Deac Edward begins the journey with “Christian Walk,” though thankfully it is more of a Christian jog. The nonstop mix features Syreeta White singing an appealing “Amazing Grace,” Keith Edwards crooning a new arrangement of The Lord’s Prayer, and the Voices of 6th Avenue delivering a disco version of Keith Pringle’s choral hit, “Call Him Up.” Midway through comes the most sanctified sound on the CD: Dee Holloway’s inspirational “You Can Win.”
The final track was “Christmas in the House,” which was fine, but seemingly out of place for a mid-July run.
The mix finished about a minute before I hit the five mile mark at 48:28, but to the CD’s credit, my first two miles were each ten seconds faster than normal.
Since securing the rights for my two-hour workout soundtrack is probably cost prohibitive, AceBeat Music’s Christian Gospel Work Out is the next best thing. The messages of hope and salvation are there, and the tempo keeps the feet and the heart moving.
Three of Five Stars
Written by : Bob Marovich
Bob Marovich is a gospel music historian, author, and radio host. Founder of Journal of Gospel Music blog (formally The Black Gospel Blog) and producer of the Gospel Memories Radio Show.
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