Raishein – Believe (Raishein Productions 2008)

Raishein
Believe
Raishein Productions 2008
www.raishein.com

Houston’s singer-songwriter Raishein sounds like she could be Damita Haddon’s younger sister. She has a soft, light and youthful voice that delivers simple praise and worship lyrics to a mostly RnB and pop electronic backdrop.

Raishein’s debut album, Believe, was released early last month, and it’s a decent debut. Her sweet spot is definitely upbeat club-style tracks, of which the album offers two: “I’ve Got Joy” and “Choose.” The bouncy single, “I’ve Got Joy” is the standout, perfectly suited to Raishein’s voice, spirit and boundless energy. At the same time, if “Choose” was three times longer, it might have been the project’s outstanding track. It’s a rouser, but at just over two minutes, it ends too abruptly, rolling up the floor underneath you just when you are in the groove. Raishein told TBGB that “listeners can expect the full song on the new album released in 2010 or 2011.”

While the up-tempo songs will find fast fans among tweeners and twenty-somethings, “Help Me” demonstrates that Raishein has the capacity to sing to the traditional gospel crowd. On this song, she emotes well, accompanied by a jazz piano. And the slow, lilting melody of “Grace and Mercy” shows what Raishein can accomplish as a songwriter.

Jerrile Wilcox does a fine job handling the engineering controls and producing the tracks.

A debut album gives an artist a chance to find his or her voice. Believe does that for Raishein. She could carve out a nice gospel-club niche today, while sharpening her chops for tomorrow, when her fan base gets older and more traditional-minded.

Two and a Half of Four Stars