TBGB Reviews…Valerie Boyd

Victory
Valerie Boyd
Shekinah International 2006
http://www.valerieboyd.net/

Nestled among standard urban contemporary arrangements on Valerie Boyd’s Victory is a collection of soulfully-sung, “wooden church” gospels that single-handedly make her solo project a four-star effort.

Boyd is arguably best known for her old-school leanings, and it shows on Victory. The North Carolina-born vocalist transitions from the modern tempo of “Jehovah Jirah” to pour her heart out in an intensely passionate arrangement of Darius Brooks’ “Your Will,” unequivocally the project’s finest moment.

Valerie demonstrates more vocal prowess on the a cappella “Fix Me,” and follows this brief, but effective, church wrecker with the uptempo “Do It For Me.” On “Old Time Medley,” Valerie pays tribute to the vintage gospel music catalog with songs such as “Look Where He Brought Me From,” “Who Shall Be Able to Stand,” and Dorsey’s “Highway to Heaven.”

Lyrically, “Get Me Out Again” is reminiscent of the choir classic “Jesus Can Work it Out” in its litany of up-to-the-minute trials: “Gas prices goin’ up/Lord, there’s a roach in your cup.” Toward the end of the song, Valerie chronicles the shock of witnessing two people flirting in church via text messaging. “Their cell phone was in the middle of their Bible…they were textin’ and sexin’.” Well! Musically, the song bounces along on a quartet-style backbeat.

Having Sanchez Harley as producer doesn’t hurt, either, but Victory lives up to its title because of the sparkling cluster of church songs it contains. Glory, Hallelujah!

The final track, “Yes I Can” is a catchy inspirational track that is radio-friendly.

In addition to singing, Valerie Boyd ministers as Evangelist with her family’s church, The New Greater Bethel Ministries in Queens Village, New York.

Four of Four Stars