Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

If you thought that steel guitars just twanged along with the cornier extremes of country and western, it's time for you to do a rethink! Over the last few years Arhoolie have managed to capture the unique sound of the sacred steel guitars used by the black Holiness-Pentecostal denomination which uses steel guitars in ways you couldn't have imagined possible. This album was recorded at various congregations/conferences over a two year period and boy, do these people know how to get down in God! The talents of the Campbell Brothers, whose studio albums have been reviewed previously on these pages, are widely featured here along with Ted Beard, Calvin Cooke and Robert Randolph. From the intense swinging gospel of "God Is A Good God" and "Hollering" to the driving shuffling rhythm of "The Train" complete with train sound FX courtesy of some cool steel playing. This is amazing music, The slower numbers like "The Storm Is Passing Over" and "Without God" burn with a gentle insistent flame,  This is gospel, blues and country mixed into a unique worship style that only exists in this small group of churches and it's incredible. Raw and exciting gospel blues in the shape of the Campbell Brothers' rendition of "Sit Down If You Can" with Elwood Haygood taking vocal duties is so hot I almost expected to see smoke coming out of my CD player. At the other extreme Brother Sam Baldwin's "He's Sweet I Know" allows those steel guitars to wail with emotion and Denise Brown singing "Don't Let The Devil Ride" (this time with the steel guitar providing motorbike effects) is another slow blues that is all consuming. If you enjoy gospel or blues, you need to hear this album and although it's not the sort of hipness that's chartbound, it's an ardent, passionate, unrestrained, incredible sound that's heavenbound!

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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