Home Featured Content R3: Anita Wilson- Vintage Worship

Artist: Anita Wilson

Album: Vintage Worship

Label: Motown Gospel

Reviewer: Gene Keys

 

About 2 years after her impressive debut album, Worship Soul, Motown Gospel recording artist Anita Wilson has returned in grand style with her sophomore project, Vintage Worship.  This is album features 12 tracks and much like her first album, you won’t be tempted to hit the skip button while listening to her music.  Wilson shows us a bolder, deeper, and more expressive side to her artistry.  In doing so, she has taken Gospel music to a completely new area, setting the bar for this brand of the Urban Contemporary style.  Tracks like “Gooder Than Good,” “So Gone” and “Reasons” boasts and pays homage to many of her musical influences from Quincy Jones, Musiq SoulChid, Earth, Wind & Fire and more.  Anita’s seamless fusion of the R&B, Jazz, Funk and  Pop styles into Gospel music is a sound that is missing from music today.  This album definitely fills that void.

Now, as a musician, what I appreciate the most about this album is how the music doesn’t stay in one place for too long.  It’s always moving and changing in unexpected, but very pleasant ways. Wilson’s impeccable alto vocals draw you in completely to her musical world.  The very interesting and awesome thing about this particular project is the Jesus factor.  Wilson is a worshipper, and she definitely brings that element to a few songs on this project.  However, I didn’t feel like I was listening to a traditional gospel record.  It felt more like I was listening to love songs or party songs you’d hear in the summer at a family cookout.  I knew Anita was singing about Jesus, but it wasn’t overbearing or preachy.  She simply just loved on God, but that’s what worship is all about, isn’t it?

The music production! OMG! I can’t with any integrity tell you that the music that accompanied Anita was just a backdrop.  I’m pretty sure I’d offend Ms. Wilson, and then be condemned to hell. No. Every song was like a beautifully calculated, meticulously orchestrated, gorgeously executed duet between soul mates whose lives existed on a plane of notes, staffs and rhythms.  I have longed felt that real music had passed away leaving only the monotonous drudgery of tracked music, airy vocals and lyrics with no substance.  Truth be told, Vintage Worship brought a tear to my eye today because this album made me feel like real music hadn’t died.  Rather, real music was alive and well.

Anita Wilson is someone you want to watch. With Grammy, Stellar and Dove nominations under her belt and only 2 albums in, Wilson has the makings of becoming Gospel royalty.

Go and get Anita Wilson’s Vintage Worship Available on June 24th, 2014!

 

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