Reviewed by Matthew Cordle

This Arkansas-based reverend recalls that as a child he thought he would be a preacher and by 1985 this had come to pass. Encouraged by his family to record a gospel CD he has done just that with the help of Tate Music Group and producer Walter Witherspoon. James has most definitely taken the ministry gospel approach rather than a more commercial R&B gospel style and the half talking, half singing style belongs in a worship service context. Musically James likens himself to Curtis Mayfield and Shirley Caesar, and the similarity that also came to my mind was Jessy Dixon's 'Spirituals & Gospel Songs' CD. The songs here are by various writers, including Bill & Gloria Gaither, and include Fanny Crosby's "Blessed Assurance." The lyrics are solidly rooted in Scripture; from the opening "Make Up Your Mind" which demands the listener decide whether to serve God or man, through the exuberant celebration of the core Gospel message in "He Saved Me" to the vulnerability of "I Need Your Help" there is a lot of ground covered. James has a "classic" slightly gravelly voice that conveys the emotional content of the songs well, but I felt that he was holding back and that he could have let rip a bit more than he does, increasing his dynamic range - his vocals seem too controlled and too often dominated by the backing vocals. The musical arrangements are well thought out and performed well, although the resulting sound suffers from dodgy-sounding synthesised strings and brass.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.