Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

It's been a while since the mother of Whitney has recorded a gospel project. As a featured soul vocalist (amongst others she worked for years with Elvis Presley and Luther Vandross) and gospel arranger and choir director. I was expecting something really hot! Sadly I was disappointed. Stylistically she's a bit of a warbler which sometimes works in her favour because there's a bit of passion but in this case the further into the album you delve, the more Cissy seems to lose the plot, which is a shame. To these ears, the album starts well enough with a cover of the old Blind Willie Johnson number "God Don't Ever Change" which is given a Southern Feel. Nice start! "The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow" develops that swampy feel but then leans towards R&B. The old Motown classic "How Sweet It Is" is here slowed right down and given a gospel feel which, although not the first time a soul song has been conscripted for the Gospel, is ok. "I'm Somebody" is one of Cissy's own songs and along with the traditional "Go Where I Send Thee", picks up the pace a little but without getting beyond a trot! "Amazing Grace" is the sort of song which should be left atone and a bit of an obvious choice best forgotten. Thankfully she didn't sing the equally overdone "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" next but thankfully we get "Too Close To Heaven" with Cissy at her
soulful best. By the time we reach "Something's Bound To happen". "He Is The Music" and "Face To Face" it starts going a bit warbly! Oh dear. Shame really because on the basis of her reputation you'd think Cissy would be capable of more than this. Even so, her daughter could learn a lot listening to this as it has more soul than the last three Whitney albums put together!

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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