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Voices of CItadel
Won't It Be Wonderful
(SYNTAX/MUSIC BLEND: US: 11 NOV 2009)

Producers:
James Hall

Track Listing:
This Is the Place
Hallelujah to the Lamb
Count on Me
I've Learned to Trust in the Lord
If You Praise Me!
Release Your Power
Saved
Living to Live Again
How Great Thou Art
Been Good
Strong and Mighty
Don't Stop Praying
Won't It Be Wonderful
Jesus I Won't Forget

Track Picks: Hallelujah to the Lamb, Saved, I've Learned to Trust in the Lord

Voices of Citadel
Won't It Be Wonderful

Brooklyn choir gospel from James Hall's church gets a second round of attention, but with little fanfare

Under the tutelage of goth-gospel wizard James Hall, the Voices of Citadel have secured a certain amount of likeability from indie supporters due to their high-volume vibrato and traditional churchy workouts. Its, of course, that vibrato factor that bullies radio from even considering the best single for air play. The church choir’s debut, No Joy No Strength, may have gotten the overlooked treatment from industry stalwarts but gospel lovers hungry for churchy material championed their gutsy choir ambitions even if it was a safe, clean cut take on Hall’s blustery musical explorations. They return after a three-year absence with their sophomore trek, Won’t It Be Wonderful. Even with the oddly-christened album title, the album is prepped to give a second dose of that fiery, raw uptempo adrenaline rush familiarly executed on their first offering. Once again Hall takes a limited back seat to the VOC presentation while the choir and their spiritual leader Dr. Kevin Bond carries much of the fiscal duties. He does appear throughout several of the offerings by adding a few flavorful ad-libs, but allows the choir to dominate their live production.

Strong suited offerings, compatible to No Joy No Strength’s peppered highlights, include the raft-rocking-cached “Count on Me” and the Butch Heyward-penned “Hallelujah to the Lamb.” The latter, while simple in its verse-to-vamp setup, is synonymous to Hezekiah Walker’s rocking contemporary choir style and proves to be the most rewarding single for quick iPod transports. Following a pattern of familiarity, “I’ve Learned to Trust in the Lord” burns like abbreviated version of Hall’s pasttime favorites like “God Wants a Yes” and “God Specializes.” It is an appreciated force, but billows too long with its share of modulations and narcissistic vibrato waves. Songs like the funky percussion-driven “Saved” and the Hezekiah Walker-friendly “Been Good” keeps the album feeling interesting.

Some of the works fit into the dichotomy of Hall’s familiar spook jams, particularly on the ghoulish eight-minute take of “Release Your Power” and Hall’s mysterious goth anthem interpretation of “How Great Thou Art.” Some of the songs, like the aforementioned, will bud with early signs of curiosity but will underwhelm those looking for ear-embracing, volume-friendly performances. Maybe the bonus track, a revisit to the Tommies’ “Jesus I Won’t Forget,” will satisfy VOC followers but even the freaky synth choices punishes what could have been a rewarding remake.

Let’s be a little kind here. Church choirs and community choirs are drained of creativity. Their leaders are desperately trying not to pull out their old vinyls since they fear of being labeled “unoriginal.” But Hall, like so many choir masters, are falling into an empty well of writer’s block. All of Hall’s more recent successes have been reviving underground classics penned by Butch Heyward. Still, he appears to challenge himself by adding in a few originals to help gloss up its dusty image. But the guy who produced an exceptional starter of a career with songs like “God Is In Control” and finally delivered one of the last of the great church choir albums with No Joy, No Strength is showing signs of laziness and resounding brevity. With this lackadaisical sophomore effort, it seems like the choir generation of the eighties and nineties are left out in the cold once again.