Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

The British Afro-Caribbean gospel scene is effectively two scenes. The London scene is dominated by a batch of artists and cottage industry insiders while the Birmingham scene has its own artists and influencers. Seth Pinnock is a MAJOR figure in the latter and this album, recorded back in 2017 at Birmingham Christian Centre, has finally seen the light of day with the help of Stormzy producer Adrian Moore. Backed by his group A New Thing and featuring a revolving door of guest singers, this live release captures something of the worship atmosphere created by Pinnock and his impressively large team and gets off to a promising start with super-tight modern gospel numbers like "Bless My Soul" and "The Weight" showcasing the calibre of musicians and singers alike. The high octane "In The Beginning" continues in similar upbeat fashion and brings a delightful American black church gospel feel to proceedings before the likes of "If My People" and "Sing" - featuring the considerable vocal skills of Lucy Grimble and Lisa Burrell respectively - take the pace down a notch. This release is all about praising God and later tracks like the James Thompson-led "We Bless Your Holy Name" and the stirring "Holy Spirit Come (Glory Come Down)" help do this with passion although the 12 minute-plus closer "Declaration Of Dependence" should really have had a very early fade to avoid Pinnock's second album petering out in chaotic fashion and you-had-be-there fashion.

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.

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