::ALBUM REVIEW::
by Roderick A. Meadows
Posted: November 18, 2009

Maybe once every two or three years comes along that “gotta have” release that you can automatically count on to be a winner in every sense of the word. Atlanta's favorite gospel family – The Anointed Pace Sisters have set the bar for consistently outstanding releases, and their latest live project – Access Granted is certainly no exception. Twelve tracks deep, this album shows why Duranice, June, Lydia, Melonda, Phyllis, Dejuaii, Latrice and Lesley Pace have staying power that a lot of female groups (regardless of genre) can't seem to hold on to.

Recorded (for the most part) live at Decatur GA 's Covenant Ministries People's Cathedral, Access Granted is a Holy-Ghost roller coaster ride, blending high-energy praise and worship with reverent, soul-kissed ballads, throwing in a little traditional gospel for good measure- produced by the legendary Alex Asaph Ward. The opener, “A Friend,” is tried-and-true Pace Sisters-with a driving beat, snaking bassline, silky-smooth background harmonies, and the unmistakable powerhouse lead of Duranice Pace. Melonda steps to the forefront on the dreamy, piano-driven “Daily”, composed by Chicago-born vocalist/songwriter Keshia McFarland. Floating on the heavenly blend of the sisters' cohesive vocals, this cut picks up where 2006's “God's World” (from the project Return) left off-both songs share a similar flow. The laid-back “Finally” features daughter of June Pace Martin, Lena, in tandem with Phyllis and Duranice-who easily take the cut from velvety-smooth pseudo neosoul to Sunday-morning mid-tempo jam. Leslie takes us to church on the traditional “Jesus Will (Do It Again),” penned by Stephanie Mayer (Twinkie Clark, Clark Sisters). The energetic, effervescent Latrice presents the delirious self-written groove “Seed of Righteousness” and sticks around to duet with Lydia on the introspective call to unity “Someday.” June, first lady of Holy Trinity COGIC, blesses the old-school-kissed “Get In His Presence,” which incorporates a subtle instrumental from Earth, Wind and Fire's seminal “Let's Groove”.

The first single released to the radio is the hip-hop-inflected “If I Be Lifted Up,” which would have been the perfect summer single if Access Granted had been released a few months earlier. A nice choice for a lead-off, but in my opinion, the stand-out cut on this project is the utterly beautiful “It's My Time to Be Blessed.” Shared leads by all eight sisters, the cut plays off the Book of Ecclesiastes, with the confident declaration that “my set time of favor” has come. The harmonies just don't come any better than this!

Just when I thought Return was the best TAPS project to date, Access Granted comes along and proves once again where the “anointed” in the group's moniker comes from. And with most of their past projects, you will find the Fast Forward button on your player to be useless, although the Rewind may get a work out. It would truly behoove any lover of good gospel/inspirational music to get access to Access Granted.