Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

There's a strong case to be argued that the contemporary gospel mantle of Andrae Crouch who blazed a trail on Light Records in the 70s was passed on to the four Winans brothers in the early '80s. Now pillars of the gospel community and influential in their own right, this gives a good view of their roots, initially using the same team of musicians as Crouch. What you get here is a selection of Winans classics from their four albums for Light which bear revisiting if only for the joy of tasting again those beautiful harmonies and strong spiritual songwriting. They still cut the mustard, although I do confess that a lot of the appeal is simple nostalgia! I still love the funk of "Fallow Ground" with the Abraham Laboriel bass line. The ballads have a lush mellow beauty and the absolute classic "The Question Is" stands out even amongst the illustrious company here. "Restoration", "I Know Someone", "Trust In God", they're all here and every one an absolute gem for your listening pleasure. Even more enjoyable when you only have to shell out £8.99 of your hard earned for the CD. Somebody at Nelson Word is determined that you get blessed! Absolutely essential listening.

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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