2 comments about iWorship, Vol. 2.

1. Although all of the songs are not to my liking, I have no regrets in buying the CD. I think it's one of the better CDs I have ever bought.



2. This cd has such a variation of contemporary Christian worship songs. Some were slower, while others more upbeat, but all in all simply beautiful.

1 comments about Sounds of the Spirit: Live at GMWA.

1. I love all of the songs on this album. I originally bought the cassette and played it so much that the cassette tape broke. I'm buying the cd now for keepsake. From beginning to end you'll love the songs.. The "Power" song will get your foot stomping...Candi's testimony and song called the "Mama Song" will make you laugh and cry..the "Be Encouraged" song will help you through the tough times..the "Order My Steps" song will bring tears to your eyes (this is the best version I have heard of the "Order My Steps Song") You will not be disappointed.

No comments about Quiet Times, Vol. 1.

No comments about Songs of Hymn.

5 comments about Songs of the Old Regular Baptists: Lined-Out Hymnody from Southeastern Kentucky.

1. I recently experienced Old Regular Baptist services for the first time at my father-in-law's funeral. They were ,as my husband had warned me, - different... But there is a fundamental beauty in this music that lovers of Americana, Folk, and religious music cannot deny. There are roots to so much culture coming out of the "coal country" of Appalachia that to not embrace that heritage is truly a shame.



2. I've heard this music all my life. I am so very glad that it has been recorded.
   It is truly authentic and still moves my heart and soul.



3. My grandmother was a member of the Old Regular Baptist church and I attended church there with her regularly. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that an accurate recording of the singing style of the Old Regular Baptists was available on CD. This is a cultural treasure of Appalachia that may not survive another generation or two and I am thrilled to know that is has been preserved and that I can once again hear this music even though I no longer live in an area where such singing is done.
   
   Anyone with an interest in the religious culture of eastern Kentucky, western Virginia, etc. will find the music of the Old Regular Baptists to be very enlightening and educational.



4. I want to address this review as someone who has attended the Old Regular Baptist church since birth. Having heard many if not all of these singers, such as the late I.D. Back and Elwood Cornett, in my lifetime, I can attest to the fact that first, this is the authentic music, sung by authentic Old Regular Baptist singers, and second, this is going to move your soul! The Old Regular Baptists can be an acquired taste for those unfamiliar with their ways of singing and worship. But hold on to your seats when God's spirit moves through a churchhouse! You CANNOT walk away from such a service unmoved. The music of the ORBs is unusual and not at all what one might be used to. The soulful, drawn-out melodies are as much a call to worship as is the messages brought by the three or four preachers you will hear during the course of the service. Plain and unassuming, these humble lay preachers who are usually visiting from other churches will preach in a distinctive sing-song style that calls not so much upon their or your knowledge of the King James Version of the Bible, but gets to the sole point of their ministry: "Are you saved? If you are, celebrate the coming joy! If not, here is how you can be!" After hearing this tape/CD, I hope that you might take the next step and visit an Old Regular Baptist Church near you. I assure you that you will feel welcome.



5. This is not a CD of polished performers or even experienced folk musicians - this is the recording of a Old Regular Baptist congregation singing their normal church repetoire in their normal style. The music is important to them and their tradition - the musical quality is sufficiently good to not be a barrier. They sing lined-out hymns - a style I first met in a Weavers' parody - where the leader chooses a hymn tune that fits the hymn text's meter, then sings out a line which is followed by the congregation singing back the line. The result is a slow paced hymn singing style that encourages reflection on the text. Today I'd say On Jordan's stormy banks is my favorite cut .. but tomorrow?

2 comments about Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal.

1. JB himself said it... Funk's a mix of soul, Jazz and gospel, and here's the proof...
   Though I've heard funky gospel, I'll tell you a secret...
   Some church folk don't like their music being called FUNK...
   I got in trouble for that once. Gospel is SANCTIFIED... not funky.
   uh huh...
   As for this album... funkier (*sorry, I mean more sanctified) gospel music exists, but if you're not into gospel, and want to get your hands on some great and rare stuff to get you started... here it is !
   - - The strangest track is one called THOUGHS WERE THE DAYS... by LaVice and Company...
   He sounds like he's smoking weed and the groove is real funky and groovin'...
   and dig it when he says, "I remember when Hell was one swinging place!"
   naturally, the purpose of the tune is to warn you about the "waitin' line" and I assume staying out of it...
   Other faves of mine include Jesus Rhaspody and The Modulations' THIS WORLD IS GOING DOWN... which reminds me a bit of a certain Funkadelic tune. Bass/rhythm guitar and drums are really hitting... and yeah, there's plenty of Hammond all over the place.
   
   Styles range from Memphis Soul, rare funk... to some disco/soul - - Though the styles of funky gospel should be no surprize to anyone who's already heard a lot of gospel, especially the "contemporary" gospel of the 70's, this album will be a great intro to rare funk and soul fans who haven't had a chance to actually hear it... and gospel fans can enjoy some rare spins...
   
   Aside from that, yeah a few tracks aren't particularly funky, and just reflect the influence gospel had had on soul and soul on gospel, however, when this compilation does get twangy and bumping... it bumps !If you like this check out the CLARKE SISTERS who not only could be quite funky at times... also DISCO GOSPEL... (great for roller boogying to church!)



2. The best historically-minded music compilations do not simply collect the best of an artist, label, or genre; they amass a backstory and glean a latent humanity in the process. The Numero Group is the best reissue label on the planet for this reason, eclipsing even notable and respectable heavies like Stones Throw's Now/Again and Soul Jazz. Numero consistently gets under the veneer of music, alone, and opens up lives and personalities within the pages of their typically detailed liner essays.
   Numero has shown surprising diversity amongst their tasteful reissues - Fern Jones's album, for one, would have not been touched by any other label in this country - making it impossible to simply tag them as "that funk comp label." Skinny-Tie Power Pop meets latter-day 70s Femme Folk meets Deep Soul meets raw Belizian rhythm sections? Even on your shuffled-up iPod, this is a rare blend.
   Numero's visual presentation is what sets them apart from exploitos like Tuff City or Collectables; the quality put into their packaging (slipcases!) includes in-depth essays, truly rare & undoctored photos, and enough purposeful white space for a Phaidon Press art tome. I can't tell you how good it looks for an album cover to lack ugly 3D graphics and tasteless "period" fonts.
   Numero (along with the afforementioned Now/Again and Soul Jazz) also takes pride in being an ethical label - each of their releases has taken the extra step of keeping the compiled artists and legal right-holders in mind. This is a breath of fresh air for conscientious collectors, who know all too well the often-underhanded practices of the re-issue label market.
   
   Now about this particular CD/LP: "Good God!" is, for my money, the most essential Numero issue to date (and that's saying a lot). When you're dealing with gospel music and its forms - of which this genre is one - respect and context are demanded of those that issue it for the masses. Numero hits a home run here. The artists on this compilation weren't selling out to the devil or the market; they were simply making music for God and their flock, irrespective of religious dilemmas or the trappings of radio classifications. Numero understands this and doesn't try to stir up any unnecessary "God or the Devil?" musicial cliches in its presentation.
   Artistically, there is no chaff or ballast here. Some tracks are slightly more gripping than others, but none is skippable. Each, more importantly, is an act of worship: Preacher and the Saints offer hollering, symphonic praise; the Voices of Conquest raise a primal, beat-laden chorus; Trevor Dandy opens his heart with questions about the state of the world around him; the Shackleford Singers belt out gut-bucket family testifying. I could list, song-by-song, the intricities of each of the 18 entries on this CD/LP. I could try to explain how these gospel groups, who employ secular songs and music forms to suit their personal witness, are just as powerful in their own way as the worldly music itself. But frankly, these songs are meant to be discovered and savored by each individual listener.
   This compilation is nothing short of five-star essential, regardless of your own personal faith. This isn't just gospel; this isn't just funk(y); this is rapturous, trancendant art that demands attention. Hallelujah.

3 comments about America's 25 Favorite Praise & Worship Choruses, Vol. 4.

1. [...] Songs are full length, satisfying and awesome in arrangement and orchestration. The best is probably still to come, since the P&W compositions are constantly moving to higher levels; check out such titles on America's Choice 30 as "Blessed Be Your Name" and "Now Is The Time To Worship." Don Marsh's on-track/point/ and in-synch "savvy music manager" abilities have helped me move my P&W experiences from Sunday morning to 24/7 via my car and home CD players. Don, give us more and more of this soul food.



2. Its nice but it is all the same voices and on the scale from 1 10 on chourus that I have heard its about a 5



3. I love praise music. I've listened to many of these same songs by other artists over the years. The problem with this CD is that most of the songs are way too short. Some of the versions on this CD only have one verse when the original has several more. I'd pass over buying the CD. Sure, it has 25 songs. But they're sooooo short.

3 comments about Acoustic Hymns, Vol. 1.

1. This was one of the first Christian cds I owned and I love many of the hymns on it for their lyrics and their melodies. Ultimately, I got rid of the cd due to the overblown vocals and stylistic inconsistencies.

   As another reviewer pointed out, the interpretations do not always match the content of the hymns. Additionally, the "choir" sounds like a group of soloists who frequently forget that they are supposed to be singing as a choir, blending their voices into one; the music is often lost in the midst of more than one singer launching off into an embellishment.

   That said, if you want this as a musical backdrop and don't listen to the particulars very much, this is a perfectly acceptable contemporary presentation of classic hymns.




2. I began attending a Presbyterian Church several years ago, and it was the first place where I heard hymns during worship instead of contemporary "raise your hands" praise music. At first I didn't like the hymns at all because of their slow, dry, and traditional feel. However, as I began to pay more attention to the words, I realized that they were more meaningful than any other Christian songs I had sung previously. Hymns are beautiful, deep, weighty poetry put to song by people who went through many of the same types of struggles and triumphs that we do. I began to appreciate and love the hymns, but still longed to hear them in a more contemporary way - and this CD series is the answer. On these CDs the songs absolutely spring to life as I have not heard them before, and I find myself constantly singing and humming to them everywhere I go. I highly recommend all 3 CDs. The only critique I would give is that at times some of the words are difficult to make out, and having the words to all the songs inside the CD cover would be helpful (they are not provided). As a quick solution to that, I recommend the CyberHymal at [website], which is a huge repository of the words and lyrics to hundreds of classic hymns. Happy worship to you, and God bless!



3. For a long time I have been looking for an album that does classic hymns in a manner which not dressed-up. In other words, I wanted something I could get into and sing along with. This fits that bill perfectly.

   Modern Christian praise music can be largely summed up with one word: innane. The theological content of most worship or praise songs is shallow. Most hymns, not all but most, are not. The words are rich and weighty. That have intellectual content. It is important to worship God with mind as well with soul. The traditional music for most hymns, which I like in church settings, is hard for people to get into. This CD should help those people become acquainted with the great songs on this album.

   My only critique of this CD is actually the music. A lot of the music sounded very similar from song to song. And many times the tone of the music did not seem to match the words. The tone of music does express theological content and themes so this is important. Also, most songs are very upbeat. Some of these hymns would do better with a little more mellow music. On the other hand, most hymns I hear recorded not of this style are hard to listen to on CD. Done in a church setting, they are more easily participated in. But this style lends itself towards the recorded medium more readily.

   All in all, a very good CD. I highly recommend it. A lot of these are old favorites.

1 comments about Fifty of the Greatest Gospel Church Songs.

1. I think these are the best gospel songs a person can ask for and we need more cd's like this one.

No comments about Celebrate the Heritage of Gospel, Vol. 2.