Thankful - Mary Mary > Reviews > Great and thats the gospel truth

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
Value for Money

Advantages:	I can't find a word in the dictionary good enough to sum up this album
Disadvantages:	They only did 14 songs

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

This album is superb. I didn't know quite what to expect when I bought this CD, I'm not a huge Gospel fan but what Mary Mary have done is to fuse gospel with R&B / soul and sometimes even hip hop to create an outstanding type of music to rival that of Destiny's Child. (Speaking of Destiny's Child they also appear on this album, but you do wish they could have harmonised on a more complex song).

Thankful moves effortlessly and seamlessly from track to track just carrying you along in a tide of joy and positivity. They inspire us to be thankful no matter what is going on in our lives, to carry on despite the pressure and to receive a kind of healing if we are in the pit. Even if you are not religious, buy this album, I certainly want 200% of what these two artists seem to have.

If you are happy you will sing these songs with conviction, if you are hurting you will sit there and have your wounds gently treated. If you are sad, I guarantee that by the last track you too will be singing along with conviction .

There seem to be three general styles of music on this album. The songs Thankful, I sings, Shackles, Joy and Good to me are upbeat, fast songs with a good beat, moving closer to R&B.

Can't give up now, Be Happy, Somebody and Still my child belong more to the ballad side of songwriting, but they are so well written and they gently lift and encourage you. Can't give up now (my favourite) gradually brings in a gospel choir who have to be joined with (great car music - listen to my joy annoying car traffic !) they take you beyond the rafters. Still my child goes further as Mary Mary's 'whoas' float you gently up to heavenly clouds where God sings a verse back to us (great stuff).

The third camp of music belongs most definitely in their gospel roots, What a friend and Wade in the Water have been sung by generations of gospel singers and firmly anchor the album to earth.

In fact I think the best way of describing this album is heaven meeting earth somewhere in the middle. And as I said earlier even if you are not religious everyone could (and should) benefit from the joy that this album produces.