Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Ms Mason is the possessor of an utterly awesome voice, a rich contralto which oozes soul and makes many a soul star sound like Kylie copyists. This album, cut in the States last year, isn't traditional gospel ala-Shirley Caesar, and neither is it contemporary dance full of drum computers and digital overkill. It's arranged with a real tight-and- cooking band like they used to produce soul records, and still do in some of the Southern States. The songs are direct, bold declarations of faith in Christ (with just one or two dips into lets-all-join-hands-and-save-the-world territory) and as Lavema's voice curls and unfurls over rootsy rhythms its one of the soulfulist sounds you're going to hear this or any year. Soul music is not dead it lives on in its birthplace - the church.

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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