Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Having recovered from the personal scandals which almost bankrupted his career the best selling gospel star returns with a live concert set which has already reached number one on Billboard's Gospel chart. Live worship, particularly with the kind of flashy, adrenaline-pumping praise party favoured by Tribbet, can often make for exhausting listening and these tracks, recorded in churches in Miami and Los Angeles, is, in truth, hard to take at one sitting though no one can deny the exemplary musicianship and theatrical flare on offer here. Having said that, its strengths are undeniable. The melodically shifting "Nobody" has some attention-grabbing lyrics ("He is a heart fixer/Mind regulator/He is my healer") and with its funky synths and a choir coming on like a vocal jazz orchestra swapping licks with the sassy horn section, the effect is sheer excitement. Another track, "You Are Everything", has more than a bit of Euro dance pop about it while "Better" is almost a traditional choir ballad. There are plenty of inventive touches in the arrangements, for instance, the early stages of "He Turned It" feature some neo-polka Vengaboys licks while Tye even introduces the old George Harrison pop rock hit "I Got My Mind Set On You". For this reviewer, though, the eclecticism is sometimes overdone.

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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