Trish Standley – Redemption

Trish Standley
Redemption
(private press)
www.jansjoy.net

By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

Redemption presents the listener with an unspoken assignment: which side of gospel singer-songwriter Trish Standley do you like best?

Is it the bright, chirpy and optimistic R&B side, exemplified on the hard-charging opening track, “Cheer Up,” and the disco-fueled “Love?”

Or do you prefer the charmingly sugar-sweet CCM-tinged singer who croons on “Because of You,” the pretty “Remember Me,” and the ode to discipleship, “Here I Am?”

Maybe it’s Standley’s jazzier shade that captures your attention, as she hangs loosely with a small combo on “He Lives,” and “For We Know”? On the latter, co-producer Carlton “C-DUB” Whitfield overdubs his vocals into complex harmonies reminiscent of Take 6.

Regardless, there’s something for everyone to enjoy on Redemption, because Standley has a cozy pop voice that, like a chameleon, blends with everything. True to her roots – although she now lives in Georgia, she grew up in a COGIC church in Kokomo, Indiana – Standley is not afraid to integrate sacred lyrics with a variety of contemporary musical forms.

To my ears, Standley’s small combo jazz experiments produce the album’s most memorable moments, and I hope she considers doing an entire CD of gospel jazz someday. Still, the juice club-ready “Cheer Up,” and invigorating trance beats of “Jesus Praise” are what catches the ear on first listen. For “Jesus Praise,” Standley gets throatier, almost Bey-like in her monotonic urgency, delivering a subconscious affirmation of Gen Y’s preferred praise methodology.

The lyrics on Redemption are almost uniformly personal praise and worship oriented, with “Love” having the best take-away: being Christ-like means not being stingy with one’s love but giving it away universally.

Regardless of what style you prefer, Redemption is pleasant listening because Trish Standley’s voice is pleasant listening in every shade.

Four of Five Stars

Picks: “Jesus Praise,” “Cheer Up.”