::ALBUM REVIEW::

After Hurricane Katrina, Bishop Paul S. Morton began his missionary work trying to rebuild what was destroyed in New Orleans while enforcing newer duties within the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship. Now a pastor over two churches in two locations and with new insight, Morton felt it was time to release yet another album on the ears of the public. But this time, there are a few changes to address. Kurt Carr, for the first time, produces and guides the musical journey while also writing the bulk of the material on "Still Standing". As described in the liner notes, Carr was moved to contribute something towards the restoration process and agreed with Morton to help him on his musical process towards a healing for the city of New Orleans. Providing background vocal support is the Kurt Carr Studio Crew (featuring noticeable singers including Yvette Williams, Crystal Rucker, Gwendolyn Morton, Jasmine Morton-Ross, Timiney Figueroa-Canton, Troy Bright and a few more) and the Greater St. Stephen Combined Choirs of Atlanta and New Orleans. On the finished product, it probably is the Kurt Carr Studio Crew that defines the majority of the background work.

The project opens up with a Broadway fanfare along with a hype intro from Kurt Carr that may seem inappropriate or bewildering for a church pastor, but it flows right into a smooth-running "I'm Still Standing"; showcasing Morton's love for milking a song using his Baptist trademarks. The song takes a turn into an upbeat groove that ultimately flows into a series of changes including modulations and glimpses into popular church hymns including "Standing On The Promises" and "Trust In The Lord". But it posses the exact same energy of Carr's previous productions with its feel-good melody and the exciting musical background from notable musicians along with the blazing horn arrangements from Lloyd Barry. Carr also pens "Not Me Lord, You"; a reflective piece allowing Morton's character and personality to take residence within the lyrics. The song also uses that same Baptist opening heard on many of Morton's well-known signatures. When the vamp rolls in, Morton breathes illustrated ad-libs into the mix and changes the course of the song for the better.

There are other encouraging moments captured on "Still Standing" that takes its listeners through various levels of enjoyment. "Be Blessed", which feels like an ode or reprise to David Frazier's "I Need You To Survive", mends a familiar melody into Carr's uplifting lyrics. On the vamp, the beauty of the song really unfolds and then there's the surprising guest appearance of Crystal Rucker towards the end that brightens the song's intensity even more. The eleven-minute "You Restored Me" reflects on the familiar narrative of the Prodigal Son taken from Luke 11:32 and interposes it with Morton's heartfelt pleas of spiritual restoration for his city. The song may be a bit too lengthy for radio, but there's some good substance and melodious expressions captured here. Some may even enjoy the Thomas Whitfield tributes ("Down At The Cross", "Nothing But The Blood") especially with Gwen Morton's sensitive vocal deliveries, while some may be agitated at Carr's dramatic arrangements of these masterpieces.

But the project bears a number of uneasy obstacles that sets the listening experience at attention. Kurt Carr tends to appear on most of the tracks and even overshadows Morton's appearances - as if it was his project from the beginning. Songs like "Hallelujah (It's Over Now)", which also uses the same drawn-out Baptist opener, leaves listeners hungry for something different. Guest vocalist Jasmine Ross-Morton attempts to pull off vocal aerobics that is clearly too big for her thin voice. And the introduction of Ross-Morton from her father on this cut isn't so pleasant - just a tad bit amateurish. The Holy Medley is also a juggernaut to digest, even though it recalls the idea Carr used on Byron Cage's self-entitled project with his Byron Cage Medley. All works well in the beginning with the Michael W. Smith classic, "Agnus Dei", and then the revisit to "Bow Down". The medley takes an abrupt shift towards Walter Hawkins' "Holy One" and aims to take off from the familiar vamp. Tramaine Hawkins guests with Morton and scream throughout the remainder of the cut. With a reprise and a praise break, the song seems to be too long and too overbearing. "If It Wasn't For Your Grace", first introduced on Kurt Carr's "No One Else" album, lacks the luster and power from the original - mostly due to Bishop James Morton's obvious struggle with the high notes as he appears to talk out most of the words. Rudolph Stanfield's "We Made It", first heard on the Whitfield Company's "Still" project, gets a Carr makeover with all of the flashy vocal stretches and busy arrangements. An uptempo Zydeco/New Orleans jazz jam session is attached to the end; an addition that rest on the borderlines of enjoyable and entertaining.

Since the ravishing waves of Hurricane Katrina took a beating on the city of New Orleans, Morton has become a keynote leader and a champion for the city's recovery process. While his vision for revival is strong, "Still Standing" almost sounds like a recording crafted around a single event in history. There's plenty of captions and reminders pointing to Katrina and New Orleans that it tends to get frustrating at times. Especially when Carr cries out on "We Made It" these words: "The spirit of New Orleans lives in me". It's okay to acknowledge specific challenges, but the Katrina message is repeated more than expected and feels too overloading. Overall, Morton does offer a change of pace to his traditional style and injects his personality into most of the cuts. And while Carr remains the star of his own production, Morton still delivers what he is best known for: soulful singing, lots of ad-lib action and more of that down-home churchy preaching. Minus all the fanfare and heavy production, "Still Standing" is a definite improvement over "Let It Rain" (2003) and show some signs of progress.