PRAYZEHYMN Online | where gospel music lives [Integrity Gospel's Finest Praise and Worship Albums]

By J. MATTHEW COBB
Founder, Editor-In-Chief of PRAYZEHYMN Entertainment
Posted: February 27, 2008

WHEN INTEGRITY MUSIC finally decided to cultivate the popular gospel market with more gospel-oriented projects, praise-and-worship was becoming a prominent force in urban worship communities. Albums from Ron Kenoly and Alvin Slaughter paved the way for the Mobile, Alabama-based label to broaden their horizions with the signing of T.D. Jakes, Keith Staten, Radical For Christ, Israel & New Breed and Joe Pace. Since then modern praise-and-worship has become a wide respected form of art in Christian music and has established an enduring legacy and relationship with gospel music. While digging in the vaults of Integrity's vast material, there have been a good number of satisfying gospel gems recorded on the popular independent label. PRAYZEHYMNOnline.com is proud to annouce the label's biggest urban praise and worship albums ever recorded...to date.

Joe Pace delivers his popular brand of worship upon the Faithful Central Church’s debut recording on Integrity while allowing local favorites to bring in their contributions - and it is those inclusions that jumpstart Zion Rejoice’s big sound. Explosive gospel energy from “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” “I’m Standing” and Kurt Lykes’ “We’ve Come To Worship” are all wonderful celebrations to engage in. “In This Place,” featuring gospel legend Daryl Coley, is also well documented, along with the heartfelt solo performance from super producer Warryn Campbell on “Welcome.” Closing the project, the title cut features Erica Campbell (of Mary Mary) on a dazzling display of upbeat, sing-a-long excitement. Through and through, Zion Rejoice celebrates the rich tradition of gospel set to modern urban worship.
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Stephen Hurd’s Integrity debut is a refreshing one and possess reverent, intense and rousing Hurd compositions like “We Magnify Your Name “ (strapped around praise-and-worship favorite “I Will Call Upon The Lord”) and “Lead Me To The Rock.” Yet it is the epiphany-like moment found on the arrangement of Matt Redman's “Undignified (I Will Dance, I Will Sing)” that upstarts the project into superstardom. Other favorites include “Let It Rise,” “Philippians (Stand)” and “Zion (Zion Is Calling).” Produced by Steven Ford, A Call To Worship: Live In DC is a heartfelt contribution to both gospel and worship communities and is currently Hurd’s most essential album to date.

Mega producer and songwriter Fred Hammond leads Radical For Christ through an upbeat celebration on Praise In The House. Things open up brilliantly with “The Spirit Says Arise;” using Hammond’s stellar urban/R&B production qualities and signature sound on the mix. That same energy is used on Jeff Hamlin’s “We Lift Up Your Name” and “No Condemnation.” Songs like “Blessing, Glory and Honor” (also heard on T.D. Jakes’ Woman Thou Art Loosed: Worship 2002), “Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord,” “Be Magnified” and “There Is None Like You” have become popular choruses in the urban worship communities and became easily accessible due to Hammond’s wise judgement to include them into the disc. While overlooked by mane Hammond’s followers, Praise In The House proved to be revolutionary for its widespread effect on the conservative traditional mold in the African-American church. It opened up many doors for modern worship music.

Alvin Slaughter, known for his Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir roots, gives a stellar performance on the sixteen-track God Can; a live recording session filled with heartfelt worship and a number of best remembered cuts. “Shouts of Joy,” “God Can” and “Doin’ A Good Work” merge funk with good fashioned pop-flavored singing. But it is the dazzling eight-minute spectacular found on Gary Oliver’s “Holy Holy Holy” that remains the album’s prized favorite - featuring Slaughter’s beefy and robust vocals during his lead duties. Gospel energies, along with the occasional band cut off and multiple loops, are all found here. Other gems tucked here includes the string-driven “He’s All I Need” and Slaughter’s “God Gives His Children A Song.;” using a smart simple piano sample from the Jackson 5's “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground).”

Featuring the gospel radio jam “I Came To Magnify,” Shout Hallelujah is a well-produced Buster & Shovani collection that offers up heartfelt worship led by Kurt Lykes, the late Kayla Parker, Tyrone Fields and Pastor McClendon himself. Sweet arrangements of “I Offer My Life,” “There Is A Fountain” and James Cleveland’s “May The Lord God Bless You Real Good” provide a good diet of enticing gospel grooves and favorable worship melodies. But deep in the middle of the album you will get a kick out of the title cut’s slight Carribean flair and the merging of “We Have Come To Glorify” with the Van Halen-sampled “Jump/Great And Mighty Is He.” The excellent journey of praise is followed by a memorable performance from Parker on “I Call You Faithful;” a track that is probably best remembered on Donnie McClurkin’s Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs. Above all, Shout Hallelujah recounts the musical girth of McClendon’s ministry at the highest point of his teleevangelistic popularity.

Though the choir released three albums on the Integrity label, the Motor City Mass Choir still remains for the most part a forgotten institution in the gospel arena. And even though they were specifically assembled by Fred Hammond for the Urban Praise collection, their albums are still refreshing even though their name may not be memorable. Their debut, Shout In The House, is their best-selling offering, peaking at #3 on Billboard’s Gospel charts, and incorporates plenty of contemporary gospel appeal into some of Integrity’s mainstream pop hits. “Worthy, You Are Worthy” starts things off, while “We Are Marching” easily escalates into the album’s biggest funkbuster. “Ain’t Gonna Let No Rock” comes in a close second, while “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” is a brilliant work of art from Hammond’s urban production.The only non-Integrity offering, “Use Me,” comes from the walls of the Gospel Music Workshop of America and fits well into the song listing of cannonized worship favorites like Don Moen’s “God Will Make A Way, “Give Thanks” and “You Are Holy.”

A beefy feast of transcending blending worship music containing a healthy mix of contemporary gospel and fervent pop. All thanks to the unique pairing of Michael Gungor and Ken Reynolds: the union of these two made this presentation transparent for both urban and rock communities.”Our Purpose” rings out with stunning contemporary gospel choir appeal from Reynolds, and so does “Another Chance.” The awesome title cut, featuring intimate string enhancements, is enraptured by tender choral balladry and sensitive worship leading. “We Are One” is beautifully rendered is nursed with a smooth Quiet Storm vibe using glossy strings and sweet acoustic piano renderings. The rock/pop elements from Gungor on “Forevermore,” “Shout Unto God” and Israel Houghton’s “Say So” are well received and demonstrates a versatile sound that normally isn’t showcased together with conventional gospel projects. Because of this event, it’s hard to even describe this as a gospel project, but it is obvious that gospel and rock elements can work together and can result into a most interesting project.

Off the heels of power-packed offering like New Season and the studio sessions of Real, Live From Another Level showcases Israel Houghton and his New Breed ensemble with daring instrumental and vocal performances using a bigger multicultural brand of R&B, soul, pop and salsa. The popular worship leader does a terrific job on the engaging hit “Again I Say Rejoice,” “Going To Another Level” and the Afro-pop “All Around.” The double-disc collection also features heartfelt worship stretching from “Easy To Love” to the crossover composition “Friend of God..” Even more important, “Friend” and “Another Breakthrough” became even bigger favorites for urban churches and made its share of rounds on gospel radio - adding more momentum to Israel’s popularity.

One of the most interesting efforts in Integrity’s urban library, Faith In The House shines with upbeat super praise numbers (“Come Into His Presence,” “Mustard Seed Faith,” “We Sing Praises”) and intricate ballads (“The Lord Thy God,” “Faith To Believe,” “Thy Word”) lushed with sweeping string and horn arrangements. Different from most conventional worship projects, the project flows away from generic worship selections and sweeps into a set of empowering, uplifting songs of edification. Bruce Parham, Vanessa Williams (of Richard Smallwood’s Vision) and an impressive Dana Powell all contribute vocal duties to the collection, while Bishop Andrew Merritt offers up the occasional short sermonettes in between songs. But it is Steven Ford’s production duties that place the creamy icing on the cake. Enjoyable and refreshing from beginning to end.

Joe Pace’s first entry into Integrity is poised to be one of his most celebrated offerings to date. Using simple templates and catchy hooks, along with a few familiar instrumental samples from Mavis Staples (“I Will Bless The Lord At All Times”) and George Clinton (“This Is The Day”), the album is engulfed with delightful energy and shows no sign of weariness. Pace’s compositions on Let There Be Praise are both impressive and colorful, from the opener “Let Everything That Hath Breath,” to the dazzling title cut featuring worship legend Alvin Slaughter. A moving appearance from jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum on the “I Worship Medley” is works well with the worshipful R&B-styled arrangement. The tender worship ballad, “We Offer Praise To You,” is also received very well and flows gorgeously for seven good minutes. And Pace doesn’t compromise his gospel roots on “Jesus I’ll Never Forget Medley,” driving a churchy Sunday morning traditional groove into the collection and on the O’landa Draper-penned “Lift The Savior Up.”

Of all of T.D. Jakes’ projects, Live at the Potter’s House remains the most celebrated. Infused with stellar songwriting from some of gospel’s greatest composers (Eric McDaniel, Maurette Brown-Clark, David Frazier, Carol Antrom), the project lights up with unforgettable harmonies from the choir, a passionate performance from Jesse Campbell and Bishop Jakes’ witty and thought-provoking narrations. With great fluidity and sweeping instrumentation, tracks like “Majesty," "Let’s Give Him Praise,”“He’ll Meet My Need,” the dazzling arrangement of “High In All The Earth” and the party-favorite “Let’s Just Praise The Lord” are brilliant showcases of gospel music stamped on a high-energy worship service.

An explosive, exhilarating set of urban worship set to the energy of an Earth, Wind and Fire live concert. Israel Houghton leads the congregation of Toledo’s Cornerstone Church through this dazzling array of Houghton’s originals and a few renditions of worship favorites. But it is Houghton’s contributions, mere debuts at the time, that have favored well over time and serves as important corridors to modern crossover gospel worship. Songs like the ever-popular “You Are Good,” the enduring title cut and the encouraging “Your Latter Will Be Greater” are considered standards. He does very well with songs like “There’s A Liftin’ Of The Hands,” and “Trading My Sorrows (Yes Lord);” giving the songs clean and exuberant facelifts for the urban worship community to easily And even though it took New Season quite sometime to get a vibrant response from the gospel arena, it survives as of the priceless artifacts of the explosion in urban worship.

OTHER VALUABLE RESOURCES TO LOOK INTO:
We perish because of the lack of knowledge. Get schooled.

Integrity Music - Official website of Integrity Media.
Favorite Worship Albums of 2007 - ChristianityToday.com annual reflections on top worship albums of 2007.
The Top 50 Gospel Songs of 2007 - PRAYZEHYMNOnline.com features the big hits of the year.
Year In Review 2007 - A PRAYZEHYMNOnline.com exclusive on 2007's biggest headlines in the gospel industry.
Essentially 2007 - PRAYZEHYMN's official list of the best gospel albums of 2007.
Summer Sizzlers - The top ten summer jams of 2007.