Reviewed by Ato Erzan-Essien

In a gospel market that's larger and more diverse than it has ever been before, it takes a singer of the calibre of Queen Esther Marrow to remind us just how it all began. Forget snazzy mixes and tonsil acrobatics, 'God Cares' provides the listener with a 12-song lesson in gospel in its purest form. The album is a feast of traditional gospel blues which slaps you awake from the opening "Working On A Building", gets your feet shuffling by the time "Move On Up (A Little Higher)" comes bouncing along and by the time "(You Can't Hurry God) He's Right On Time" arrives (the next song), if you're not dancing with the vacuum cleaner, or in the kitchen, then frankly, you must be dead. There are a few slower tempo numbers, but as good as they are, they only serve to give you a breather and even then, one or two, such as "Elijah Rock" and "How Great Thou Art" are still liable to leave you breathless. But it is with the more traditional and up-tempo gospel blues that Queen Esther's effortlessly deep and powerful voice gloriously comes into its own, never failing to deliver. Any genuine gospel fan should avoid getting hold of this at their peril.

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