Reviewed by Tom Lennie

Though known as Tommy Ace, the real surname of this Philadelphia-based musician is White. Being something of a crossover singer, Tommy formerly sang in several bands and has appeared on several recordings. We're told he has a "dynamic stage presence" and is generally clad in black, wearing a "Count of Monte Cristo coat". 'Inspired' was two years in the making and contains nine self-penned compositions along with two covers. The album takes off with a couple of swinging cabaret-jazz numbers, each with a gospel theme. Unfortunately, it tends to be downhill from then on. Ace's voice is a bit shaky on the depressingly slow "Heavenly Father", though it's a bit better on other crooners, such as "God Bless The Child". While no one could ever claim that the lyrics are cliched(!), they do tend to be rather awkward. "War In Philadelphia" is a case in point, and I have no idea what this sombre piece is about. "His Home" is a spoken poem, but it's long and doesn't scan well. A couple of tunes, such as "Life" and "Thank You Lord", are quite catchy but overall, this set just doesn't manage to pull together.

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