Reviewed by Andrew Segal

Singer Alvin Slaughter takes the lead in a collection of 15 slickly arranged songs recorded live at the Covenant Love Family Church in North Carolina. He offers a good example of the high quality gospel albums that American artists prove themselves consistently capable of producing as he sings about his spiritual journey, the faith life which inspired the CD's title. After whipping the congregation into a well-intentioned frenzy for the first song, the appropriately joyful and quick-tempo-ed "My Joy", Slaughter and his backing choir then immediately slow the pace down by carrying on with a selection of emotional tracks that show exemplary musicianship from the 11-piece band. Soul and funk music make their influences heard, while tracks such as "The Latter Rain" and "Made Me Glad" prove themselves to be more than just gospel tunes, showing a pop music sensibility that would not be out of place in the singles charts. But the standout track is the song "Worshippers", which brings an almost cinematic sense of musical drama as Slaughter continues a mission in which he hopes listeners feel a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.