The Gospel Harmonettes - The Gospel Harmonettes Of Demopolis, Alabama
STYLE: Gospel RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 21693- LABEL: Global Village 224 FORMAT: Cassette Album
Reviewed by Tony May
You want the rawest of red meat? The dynamic harmonising of these four ladies is all you could ever need in authentic, downhome gospel quartet singing. Originally named in tribute to Dorothy Love Coates' vocal backing group, these ladies originally came together in 1974 to perform mainly in their own area, where black gospel music has a rich tradition. This tape was recorded at a live church concert, where their deceptively casual-sounding style displays years of honing their now devastating technique. The 12 songs include some that display slowly simmering emotion, powerful though always controlled. There are none of the sometimes disturbing excesses associated with the genre. Other tracks step out with aggression: "Jesus On The Mainline", the Ry Cooder classic, gives a good example of the GHs in full flow. Red-hot stuff from seasoned practitioners, that brings the joy of genuine gospel singing back home again.
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