WOW Gospel Worship

Various Artists
WOW Gospel Worship
EMI Gospel/EMI Christian Music Group/
Word Entertainment/Verity (2011)
http://www.wowgospelonline.com/

By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

The long-running WOW Gospel Series, which serves as a yearbook of gospel hits, and a couple of new titles tossed in for good measure and greater sales, has extended its brand to include specialty titles, such as the just-released WOW Gospel Worship.

This new disc is a collection of sacred hits whose connecting thread is the praise and worship lyric. The musical accompaniment ranges from the punchy, in-your-face contemporary gospel arrangements of VaShawn Mitchell to Smokie Norful’s simple, expressive vocals on the song-prayer “Dear God,” to Shekinah Glory Ministry’s breakout P&W smash “Praise is What I Do.”

The collection, mined from a few major gospel music labels, spans the past fifteen years: from Fred Hammond’s 1996 “No Weapon” to the present day. Many of the songs are gospel radio staples, such as Kurt Carr’s “In the Sanctuary,” and Byron Cage’s “The Presence of the Lord,” the latter which almost defines the P&W sound.

Others, such as Heather Headley’s part-bluesy, all-marvelous “Here I Am to Worship,” from her under-appreciated masterpiece Audience of One, may turn heads anew. “Great is Your Mercy” from Donnie McClurkin’s Live In London and More… is a mesmerizing selection ripe for reacquaintance.  Familiar or not, the titles mix well and provide a fine listening experience from start to finish.

The new titles are rendered by special combinations of gospel artists. Noted as “the top worship song in the United States,” “Mighty to Save” is covered by Myron Butler, Sheri-Jones Moffett and the family band Forever Jones. “Majesty” is performed by a trio of muscular-voiced male psalmists – Deon Kipping, Jason Nelson and William Murphy – who solo as solidly as they harmonize.

WOW Gospel Worship is music for a restful Sunday afternoon.

Four of Five Stars