Search - Take 6 :: So Much To Say

Sophistocated jazz harmonies, with Gospel roots

Dr. Carl F. Reinberg | South Africa | 12/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An acapella group, comprised of six men who blend thier voices to make some of the most sophistocated vocal music since the Boswell Sisters in the 30's. To top it all off, they are singing thier hearts out to out creator! Grreat music that certianly is sophistocated jazz, with deep roots in gospel. If you thought the Christian music scene was all rock'n'roll and alternitive, guess again."

Sophomore slump

Greg Brady | Capital City | 02/22/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Their debut was a breath of fresh air and it would be hard to match. On this album, they pushed hard but in the end the material is a little lower quality than on the self-titled CD. (The Gospel Music Association held a different view, giving this disc the Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year for 1991).



If not as artistic, though, it would be the commercial breakthrough for the band, landing 2 hits on Christian radio (#3 "I L-O-V-E You", which also won a Dove award for Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song, and #23 "Something Within Me")



One of the first unwelcome appearances is that staple of hip-hop: the "intermission" track. 4 throwaway vignettes/intros appear here (tracks 1,3,8,and 12). That leaves 9 actual songs.



HIGHLIGHTS:

The better material stands alongside their first effort. "I L-O-V-E U" is a catchy plea from God's point of view and made some noise on R&B radio as well as gospel. "Something Within Me" is decent, although a faux Jamaican bridge is a bad move that brings down the song. BeBe Winans gave the band's Mark Kibble a hand writing "I Believe" and it's a standout as well. Gospel stalwart "I'm on my Way (to Canaanland)" gets a nifty arrangement. "So Much 2 Say" flits by as a supersonic jazz vocal workout (you'll need the lyric sheet to decipher much of it).



LOWS:

On the downside, an overly cartoonish rendition of Carman's "Sunday's on the Way" doesn't compare to the original. "Where Do the Children Play?" warns parents to keep an eye out for those who would exploit their kids but it just doesn't stick in your head.



BOTTOM LINE:

It's not a washout, but if you're wanting to try out the band for the first time, get their debut first and wait on this one until you're already a fan."