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Album Review
by SaschaS
17-12-2003
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| The Blind Boys Of Alabama's Chrimbo cool |
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The Blind Boys Of Alabama: 'Go Tell It On The Mountain'
(RealWorld/Virgin)
Slipped disc #4: The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Although we generally consider this so-called festive season nowt more than a commercial blow-out in the name of a suspected-to-be-fictitious character… Have you ever thought how come that the ‘God’s Book’ contains not a single mention of dinosaurs? What, they were not the Almighty’s creatures? In spite of such reservations we are not adverse to odd carol or a Chrimbo album.
If it is of the Blind Boys Of Alabama’s ‘Go Tell It On The Mountain’ quality that sees them interpreting Christmas songs with selected friends. And, the veteran group being busier than ever in their long career - contributing a song to ‘The Fighting Temptations’ soundtrack and singing Phil Collins-penned theme song to Disney’s ‘Brother Bear’ - it‘s good they found time to share some Santa Clause moments.
The BBA have been together since meeting at Blind School in 1939 and haven’t stopped touring since, on average 200 shows per annum. Earlier this year they provided support to Peter Gabriel’s US and Euro tours, as they are signed to his label.
The Boys’ first two discs for RealWorld - ‘Spirit Of The Century’ and ‘Higher Ground’ - finally established them as the premier Gospel act in the world, even winning consecutive Grammy Awards. The same can be expected from ‘… Mountain’, that takes you on a magical trip around the season’s tree and it is not the fibre-optic one, for sure.
The title track teams BBA with Tom Waits - the gravel voice is counterbalanced by a perfection of the choir-like kind; it is then succeeded by collabs with Michael Franti (‘Little Drummer Boy’), Chrissie Hynde [sounding like a true-Country star!] & Richard Thompson (‘In The Bleak Midwinter’), Mavis Staples (‘Born In Bethlehem’), head Funkadelic George Clinton (‘Away In A Manger’ - more rocky than funky!)… There are also Aaron Neville, Shelby Lynne, Me’shell Ndegecello…
Traditional and few originals they cover - Harry Connick Jr’s ‘I Pray On Christmas’ with ‘Special Guest Vocals’ by Salomon Burke and Mel Torme’s ‘The Christmas Song’, Ms Lynne guests - are all performed with a mixture of styles, from blues to rock, from gospel to soul, from country to jazz, all in perfect harmony and with the unmistakeable mark…
Men & babes, ‘Go Tell It On The Mountain’ is like having a service in your front room… or wherever you could be listening to this CD. Tube? Start a sing-a-long, commuters can do with anti-Credit merriment…. If you are someplace more convenient, mulled wine is strongly recommended.
8/10
SaschaS
17-12-2003
The Blind Boys Of Alabama’s album ‘Go Tell It On The Mountain’ is available now on RealWorld/Virgin
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