Spirit Of The Century - Blind Boys Of Alabama (The)

Advantages: Warms the cockles of your soul
Disadvantages: You need a soul in the first place

...As the winter months draw in it?s good to tuck oneself on bed with a flask, in a wood cabin, and authentic Deep South gospel blues to warm the cockles of the heart. This year my musical and spiritual heat is being provided by the soulful hauntings of Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama with There Will Be A Light. We are hearing the union of a combination of artists at their peak. The Blind Boys bring the raw Negro Spiritual tradition and decades of blended hymnal harmonising. Harper and his band bring the stripped down arrangements to vocals aged in oak caskets for generations, soaking up decades and life experience. As you expect there is variety without vanity. The lonely slide guitar in Dylan cover Well, Well, Well seems to be fighting for empathy whereas accapella lament Mother Pray is touching enough to bring... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: great songs
Disadvantages: none

...I am not a religious man (far from it) and am no follower of gospel music but having come across the blid boys of alabamas Spirit of the Century album I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. THere is no doubt that this is another fine album full of wonderful vocals. As with Spirit of the century the blind boys have been teamed up with another great set of backing musicians, although I must admit i do miss Danny Thompsons excellent bass playing which was an outstanding feature of the previous album. There is a good range of songs on this album which show up the beauty of the singing and playing. Even if like me you would never normall consider a gospel album this is well worth buying and if you have never heard spirit of the century you MUST get that album tha treally is essential listening U GOTTA LOVE IT... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Below
Disadvantages: Keep going... (drink for a minute....for a minute or two...)

...So, you think (for a minute for a minute or two) of the ordinary boys, and what comes to mind? Most probably Preston's appearance in Big Brother, Chantelle and shady sunglasses accompanied by a fast tempo ska track entitled 'Boys will be boys'. And that is the sole track that most people can name; I suppose that they could be classed as a sort of modern 'one hit wonder', although they are still going, so who wonder what will happen?... What probably doesn't come to mind is a fast album of down to earth ska album with cult musical ideas, such as mixing ska with rap and with numerous brilliant tracks. For me, and for any true ordinary boys fan, the latter shall come to mind. Boys will be boys got to about number fourty in the charts and was almost unheard of before Prestons big appearance in Big Brother; now everyone has heard it... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful