Reviewed by Tony Cummings

With plenty of production heavyweights -Jeffrey J-Dub' Walker, Percy Bady, Tonex, etc - and a voice able to purr and holler and upset a congregation or woo a nightclub, DeLeon Richards has been around the scene most of her life. (In fact, she was known as "The Young Gospel Sensation" and had gained a Grammy nomination by age nine!) Now she's grown up and with her seventh album shows all the potential to be up there with the Yolanda Adams's and Mary Marys as a gospel superstar. All DeLeon needs is the right song and though 'Straight From The Heart' delivers some fine soulful singing and snappy production, I couldn't discern the breakthrough here. Maybe I will after a few more plays - certainly the funkily driving "Stop" and the lilting "Don't Let It Get You Down" are great stuff.

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