Reviewed by Philip Croft

This four piece family outfit (two brothers, two sisters, all cousins?!) with an average age of only 20, have been singing together for 10 years and have supported the likes of Mary Mary, Fred Hammond, CeCe Winnans and Jaci Velasquez. To paraphrase a footballing parlance this is very much an album of two halves. On the one hand the invincibility of youth has led Generation J to believe that they are capable of throwing a multitude of styles together and getting away with it. Hence despite being predominantly R&B you will also find hints of more traditional gospel, plus a little bit of hip-hop and reggae thrown in. Far from showing the band's range and ability, such a diversity of styles actually makes 'Secret Place' somewhat messy and disjointed. On the positive side these guys really can sing (as is clearly shown on the acapella ending to their worship medley) and harmonise sweetly and effortlessly. Their class is way in advance of their age and this family have undoubtedly learnt much from those with whom they have toured. Personally I wouldn't class this as a must buy album but if these guys decide on a style and stick to it then their next release may well be very different indeed.

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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