Elaine Norwood – Released

Elaine Norwood
Released
Highly Favored Music 2010
www.highlyfavoredmusic.com

On the polyrhythmic first track of her fourth solo CD, Released, veteran vocalist Elaine Norwood sings about offering up undignified praise. Her praise may be undignified, but Released is anything but. In fact, it is one of the best gospel albums I’ve heard this year.

The album’s winning formula is Norwood’s outstanding singing, crisp production at the hands of 70’s songster Leon Haywood and Sanchez Harley, well-selected songs and solid musicianship (bonus points for having a real brass section!). No matter what style Norwood sings in – and she covers quite a range on Released – she handles it equally well. Having said that, she is at her very best on the straight-ahead gospel song and her current hit, “He’s Still Working On Me.”

Other album highlights include Norwood’s popular gospelization of Alicia Keys’ smash, “If I Ain’t Got You,” remade as “If I Ain’t Got You, Jesus.” A rendition of “Soon-a Will Be Done” (aka “Troubles of the World”) smacks of Mahalia’s own. “I’ll Say Yes” is announced as a “toe-tapper,” but it’s more like a sanctified-style hand-clapper.

Norwood, whose aunt is the great Dorothy Norwood, joins her father, Pastor
Charles Norwood, on a California contemporary gospel version of James
Cleveland’s “God Has Smiled On Me.” Pastor and daughter make a lovely duo
and ought to consider recording again in the future.

Elaine Norwood honed her vocal craft for many years backing artists from Mariah Carey to the Isley Brothers, as well as singing commercial jingles. All those years of hard work has clearly paid off. She is a stone singer and Released is how a gospel album should sound.

Five of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “He’s Still Working On Me,” “I’ll Say Yes,” “If I Ain’t Got You, Jesus.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.