“Wait” Kevan Peabody Twinkem Productions (release date: October 16, 2020) www.twinkemp.com By Robert M. Marovich Taking Proverbs 3:5-6 in part for his text, veteran gospel singer Kevan Peabody implores listeners on “Wait” not to despair but to trust and “wait on the Lord.” To a traditional-flavored but sonically robust arrangement featuring piano and warbling organ, Peabody croons his declarations in a mellow tenor peppered by blues notes. “Trust and never doubt,” he sings, “God will always bring you out.” The song, written by Steven Roberts, has the feel of a church solo augmented by a full studio backing. Bay Area ...

“Trust in the Lord” Danielle Sunny Bryant Ndamix Music Group (release date: November 13, 2020) By Robert M. Marovich On “Trust in the Lord,” Danielle Sunny Bryant encourages the discouraged by setting Proverbs 3: 5-6 to a meaty contemporary arrangement. Bryant’s attractive vocalizing toggles between modern and traditional, demonstrating her comfort with both styles. Starting out even-keeled, she moves the song toward the vamp, where the background vocalists do the melodic lifting so she can turn up the temperature and deliver a bluesy evangelism. The preferred extended version gives listeners a larger dose of Bryant’s vocal proclivities, including falsetto whoops ...

“Laughter (Just Like Medicine)” BeBe Winans featuring K.S. (release date: September 4, 2018) www.malaco.com By Bob Marovich BeBe Winans and K.S. paraphrase Proverbs 17:22 on the mid-tempo “Laughter (Just Like Medicine).” This appropriately easygoing song is quintessential BeBe in its liberal doses of R&B to deliver an inspirational message. Here, the point is to deal with trials and tribulations by minimizing them. Laughter can heal your soul just as medicine can heal your body. “Just like Pepto Biz!” BeBe sings. BeBe and K.S. are on to something. Laughter releases endorphins, the “feel good” chemicals in your brain that, in turn, ...