::ALBUM REVIEW::

Very little exposure has come from mid-America in recent years, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have church. Out of the corners of Kentucky, the vision from 97-year old COGIC State Bishop A.T. Moore and his talented grandson Austin Moore arose to bring their rich gospel blood to the masses through the organization of a jurisdiction choir. Months after their live recording session, their album was released and distributed independently. But Tyscot Records believed in the project and recently re-released the project but with a couple of alterations and facelifts. The new look, anchored by the apparent name change, signifies a major step towards a more progressive, modern career that gleams the kind of attention new gospel groups strive for. Now with a strong metamorphosis in place, Nu Tradition thrust forward with a look resembling Chicago youth choir New Direction layered on top of classic traditional and contemporary church music. The song selections are well supported by a well engaged staff of musicians including Titus Robertson (organ), Michael Bereal (keys), Derrick Ray (bass), Terrance Chaney (keys), Austin Moore (drums) with Lloyd Barry providing excellent horn arrangements. Of Bobby Jones Gospel fame, Nathan Young serves as the choir’s director.

Throughout the fourteen-track collection, it becomes apparent that there really is no detour from the traditions of old. There’s the Sunday morning sounds (“Lift Him Up”), the energetic pulsating praise-and-worship (“Thou Art Worthy”) and the organ-dominant instrumental hymns (“I Need Thee,” “Yes Lord”). Most of the songs on board, with all its faults, are typical in the most traditional form possible and sometimes are a bit predictable, but excellent musicianship and clean, polished production gives the album some hefty support. But don’t write the album off as another dismal musical offering, there’s some worthy performances to rejoice over. Lawrence Thomison delivers a seasoned performance, done in the spirit of the late Issac Douglas, on the well-crafted and bold arrangement of “Victory Shall Be Mine.” The spunky rhythms, attached to promising verses, spirited harmonies and a jolting vamp, are satisfying ingredients for the perfect album opener; giving the group their finest church-bound single. “He Brought Me Out,” co-written by Austin Moore, is a dazzling showcase of contemporary funk. There’s a shortage of lyrics; probably purposely fulfilled since the song’s grooves and beats take center stage but the song still stays afloat. Lamar Campbell contributes, in the spirit of his pop balladry, the intimate “I’ll Forever Give You Praise.” Even with the sensationalism of Campbell’s lead vocals, the song continues to display a warmth in his impeccable songwriting that matches his previous slow-paced radio delights like “I Really Love You” and “More than Anything.” Renowned worship leader Judith Christie-McAllister submits three selections to the mix and even appears on the closing two tracks: the lush worshipful “We Worship You in the Beauty of Holiness” and the two-part jubilant “Thou Art Worthy.” Both tracks kind of overstay its visit for the radio world, but fulfil their purpose in giving McAllister fans a journey through live worship. On the latter, the song matches the raw emotion of McAllister’s spirited jams as it jumps up a few modulations and rides a repetitive gospel-infused vamp full of churchy charisma. An attached praise break, offset by McAllister’s exhortations, finds Nuana Dunlap and Romentha Stallworth beating fast-paced ad-libs into a soulful three-minute congregational frenzy. McAllister’s last contribution is “Anthem of Thanksgiving;” supplying choirs a worthy and simple gospel-tinged anthem perfectly carved for Sunday mornings. “Because of Yesterday” and "There Is a Name” is styled in the tradition of Bay Area gospel ballads: sweetly unveiled in the beginning and later exploding with oozing harmonies and colorful instrumentation.

Nu Tradition is sure to run across a few questionable hurdles during the promotional stages of their early career since the bigger, bolder tracks are marked with some of the industry’s most recognized acts. Then the idea of revising an previously-released project to become something different may send a scary signal to newcomers. Beneath the colorful photos of the newly-formed small community ensemble are the talents of a church jurisdiction 100+ voice choir; an obvious truth revealed on the companion DVD. Other odd spots includes McAllister’s performances going beyond the ordinary time limit and the musical interludes drowning out some of the potent energy from the album. Still, those observations are minute when looking at the big picture. Nu Tradition is a carefully paced trip to classic choir gospel; hyped with big star performances and a few new originals. And with a limited edition version featuring a companion DVD featuring highlights of the recording, the album becomes a welcomed addition to the libraries of traditional gospel fans. Austin Moore, a new face in the musical production world, does an incredible job in assembling such a clean sounding frame for the project. If anything, Nu Tradition will open new doors and opportunities for the up-and-coming musician.