Reviewed by Tony Cummings

'I Need Your Spirit' was recorded live in Indianapolis though with plenty of overdubs (including the Nashville String Machine) and funky drum programming, this is a long way from the turn-up-at-church-and-turn-on-a-tape-recorder of old-style gospel albums. With the opening with Lamar bellowing out "Here we go, put your hands together, give God some praise" and a funky slapped bass belching into a groove, you might think we were going to get Kirk Franklin-style R&B gospel, but this is still more traditional call-and-response stuff with Spirit Of Praise a big choir with big voices. The mid tempo "It's All About The Love" features a purringly soulful vocal from Michelle Boner, while Ron Bishop does an equally soulful job on the jazz-tinged "Nobody Like Him". But overall there's a lack of distinctive material and I doubt whether this will cross over beyond mass choir aficionados.

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