Release Date: January
22, 2016
Label: Appleseed
Recordings
The best way to describe this talented group of ladies is
to share what is on their own website as follows:
Sweet Honey In The Rock® is a performance ensemble rooted
in African American history and culture. The ensemble educates, entertains and
empowers its audience and community through the dynamic vehicles of a cappella
singing and American Sign Language interpretation for the Deaf and hearing
impaired. Sweet Honey’s audience and community comes from diverse backgrounds
and cultures throughout the United States and around the world, and includes
people of all ages, economic/education/social backgrounds, political
persuasions, religious affiliations, sexual preferences and differing
abilities.
Music is all about culture and transcending any barriers
that are in place in other settings, it is universal and spiritual. The lead
off track “Somebody Prayed for Me” is deep in the roots of spirituality and
church choirs you find rejoicing and singing around the world. It is moving
track that gets your feet tapping and it immediately fills you with positive
energy and joy.
“The Living Waters” is marvelous a cappella workout. This
is a powerful message about our environment and how we are destroying it…ignoring
all the truth and signs right in front of us. What a great showcase of amazing
voices taking you through a journey that delivers a wakeup call to all of us.
This is how you reach people clearly through music that is quite frankly, hard
to ignore.
What I like about this album is that all the ladies take
their turn with lead vocals and the others join in to make their sound
complete. While the music is a perfect backdrop in their tracks some do not
require any music because their voices alone are instruments that hold you
spellbound. A good example of that is “I Don't Want No Trouble at the River
(featuring "When Great Trees Fall").” This band of women with a
purpose does everything with meaning and very distinctly, there are no secret
meanings in the words, it is all very clear. Their music is a true work of art.
“A
Prayer for the World: Song 23” takes a familiar passage from the Bible and
turns it into a funky high stepping spiritual meets R & B exercise led by a
walking and grooving bass line. I thought the combination of the old and new
was refreshing and a joy to hear. This is all the ladies in their element
bending and stretching out their vocal prowess with some great music alongside
that puts the proverbial icing on the cake.
I love this music and everything it stands for - the
culture and all the colors of music and tradition falling into a melting pot of
artistic expression. It is unique in a world full of loops, noise and
repetitive music that seems to be getting way too much attention. This is the
kind of music that will be appreciated for the complete package it delivers to
your senses in its entirety. You don’t have to be only a music to fan to
understand what is going on here and the time and energy that goes into such
incredible sounds. Appreciating good work and the humanity and spirit that is
involved is what makes this project something special.
5/5 Stars
Key Tracks: Somebody Prayed for Me, The Living Waters, A Prayer for the World: Song 23
Tracks:
01. Somebody Prayed for Me
02. The Living Waters
03. I Don't Want No Trouble at the River (featuring "When Great Trees Fall")
04. A Prayer for the World: Song 23
05. This Place Inside Where I Can Rest
06 Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
07. Oh, Sankofa
08. Second Line Blues
09. Wholy Holy
10. Same Ol', Same Ol' Love
11. IDK, But I'm LOL!
12. Operator/Jesus on the Mainline/I Don't Know What You Come to Do
13. Sweet Sweet Honey!
14. We Have Come This Far by Faith
Tracks:
01. Somebody Prayed for Me
02. The Living Waters
03. I Don't Want No Trouble at the River (featuring "When Great Trees Fall")
04. A Prayer for the World: Song 23
05. This Place Inside Where I Can Rest
06 Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
07. Oh, Sankofa
08. Second Line Blues
09. Wholy Holy
10. Same Ol', Same Ol' Love
11. IDK, But I'm LOL!
12. Operator/Jesus on the Mainline/I Don't Know What You Come to Do
13. Sweet Sweet Honey!
14. We Have Come This Far by Faith
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck- Write
A Music Review Founder
February 4, 2016
Review
Provided By Write A Music Review