STYLE: Gospel RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 11301-VTI2063 LABEL: Miracle MIR5019 FORMAT: 12 inch vinyl Album RRP: £4.99
Reviewed by Tony May
It needs only a slightly twisted sense of humour to find this album real giggle-inducing. Right from the syrupy spoken intro you encounter serious sticky goo as M.C. pulls out a whole range of wince-worthy cliches, and worn out phraseology. The songs suffer from terminally banal, simplistic lyrics of the kind known to afflict the genre. Makes Carman's theology sound like "Gems from Schaeffer". We need some emerging artists to apply wit and wisdom to the lyric of black gospel; it can't get by forever on thumping rhythms and, as in this case, Uncle Sam's big bucks. Michael is a complete unknown to me whom I expect to disappear from sight in the mountain of talent out there. Average is my best shot for virtually everything on this release. I found myself singing along heartily to the closing refrain of side one "Somebody please tell me what's going on", dunno Mike! Soulless version of the old traditional belter "Precious Lord" opens side two, couple more plodders follow, then , oh no! The closer is a six minute reprise of the dreaded "What's Going On" track. Potential fruit bowl here.
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