Commissioned - Number 7 (13 tracks) +Album Reviews

Commission- A Sound Out of This Universe

Aquila Rogers | 05/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Commission has a sound that I've found no one has been able to duplicate in the Gospel music industry or any other industry. They have a unique harmonization that is undescribable. There are other groups such as TAKE 6 which has an incredible sound too, but Commission has been hard to duplicate. Even though the group has changed over the years, this particular album really made a great impact on my life. Not so much the music even though it is fantastic, but the words like "Second Chance". God gives us second chances, especially when we fall, He picks us up, if we want to get up, helps and encourages us to go on by the leading of His precious Holy Spirit and through His word. Then "We are Overcomers" that really has been playing a big part in encouraging me over the years and is still prevelant to my life today. This particular song lets me know that I have the victory no matter what life trials I face. The "I Really Love the Lord" musical interlude causes my spirit to relax and gives me a since of peace as if the Holy Spirit Himself was speaking to me. "I Love Thinking of U" talks about joy. The songs lyrics and music put you into a joyful mood, one of just rejoicing in the Lord. "SECRET Place" Is another great song off the album. It really makes me feel like I'm truly alone with the Lord. I really like the whole album. I think it is the best work that Commission has produced. I have the CD and I believe they should make it a collectors item. It really needs to be kept on the market. It has a variety of music I believe for anyone to listen to young and old, as long as you're focusing on the words. The music is great too. I think that most young and middle age saints would appreciate it more, but I can be wrong. Who knows the older saints may like it too."

I Love This Album

Aquila Rogers | Woodbury, MN USA | 10/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is one of my most favorites of Gospel music today. I grew up with this music. Listening to this CD helps me to get through the day. Songs like "Love You With the Rest of My Life" expresses my love for Jesus. When I got saved (gave my life to Christ), I decided that I was gonna love and serve God to eternity. The song "Overcomers" lets me know that I am more than a conqueror, and that I will not be defeated by the enemy. "Secret Place" is a relaxing, meditating song. Fred Hammond and Marvin Sapp sound great together in "King of Glory". I highly recommend this excellent CD."

The Best Album

howard405 | Waterbury,CT | 11/04/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is to me the best album commissioned has done musically this was way ahead of its time, excellent keyboards, programming, and musicians. This was Fred Hammond in his prime before he went solo. I saw them play and they were bad, and annointed. If you like Fred Hammond check this out."

One of Commissioned's best

Greg Brady | Capital City | 11/02/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Traditionally, the number 7 is seen in Hebrew tradition as the "perfect" number, the number of completion. It may not be PERFECT, but growing the band to 7 members did wonders for the band.

This album was transitional for the Michigan-based gospel group as they adopted new members Maxx Frank and Eddie Howard. It was two NON-members who most profoundly affected the sound though: Eric and Anson Dawkins (later to record themselves as Dawkins and Dawkins). The brothers wrote or co-wrote 5 of the 13 tracks and assisted musically on keyboards, drum programming and even arranging at times ("Second Chance"). This gave the band their most energetic set yet at the time and is probably the most consistently listenable 90s release from the band. One note, though, what's with "I Love Thinking of You"? It sounds a LOT like BeBe and CeCe Winans "Addictive Love" (compare the two sometime if you doubt me). Since both those discs came out in 1991, it's hard to say who stole from who.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Fred Hammond and Maxx Frank teamed up to write the peppy "Love U with the Rest of my Life", a percussive track that pairs drum machines and the live stickwork of Michael Williams. Downtempo "King of Glory" is a bit of slow funk strewn with faux saxophone (the keyboards of Bernard Wright and Maxx Frank). Transformation Crusade (a group I remember as one of the lamer early holy hip-hop acts) tosses off a rap that actually hammers the song's impact UP a notch. The bouncy "I Can't Live without U" is a tribute to the consuming nature of knowing Jesus. ("I'd rather live without no food to eat/I'd rather live and be homeless on the street/But one thing I can't do is/I can't live without U")In a great twist of the arrangement, the band slowly fades out as the tune ends in acappella and just when you think it's over they shout out "Chillin'!" as a very cool afterthought. "Secret Place" is a tasty ballad about the times of refreshing believers find in God.

LOWS:

As on STATE OF MIND, it's when Commissioned slows things down that they usually bomb. Smooth jazz-esque "I Really Love the Lord" is OK as a brief interlude but it provokes yawns in its full length version (track 11). Likewise for instrumental "Please You More". "Hold Me" is a pretty sugary effort from the pen of Mitchell Jones.

BOTTOM LINE:

A worthy effort. Recommended."

Search - Commissioned :: Number 7

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