spitting rhythms allow for so many words per minute, and per song. The overall effect is powerful, and even overpowering, as NF works through the consequences of his mother’ s pill addiction, made all the more distressing when he never thinks to bring the gospel to bear on his situation. Track titles like“ Got You on My Mind,”“ Wish You Wouldn’ t,” and especially“ How Could You Leave Us?” carry the theme. Feel-good froth this ain’ t. NF’ s visual style and rolling rhyme-spitting show a clear debt to Eminem, another artist known for musical catharsis.
clutch of rustic gospel originals with a sound between Gillian Welch and Sheryl Crow. As on her recent Psalms album, some tracks call out their Scriptural basis in the title: 1 Peter, Psalm 131, Jude 23-24, The Lord’ s Prayer.
MICHAEL ROE Gothic
When Michael Roe rolled into Denver on September 2, 2001 for a show at the stately Gothic Theatre, he didn’ t expect to be joined
onstage by local guitar legend David Beegle( formerly with progressive instrumental group Fourth Estate) and his band. This rehearsalfree performance, oft-bootlegged, now gets an official release, and the results are pure rock-and-roll delight. Roe leads the impromptu band through epic versions of favorites like“ MT”( notoriously challenging to arrange for live performance),“ Nobody’ s Fault but Mine”( hewing closer to the blues original than to Zeppelin’ s rock version), and“ Perfect Blues”. Covers include Terry Taylor’ s“ Wall of Heaven,”
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THE CHOIR Live and On the Wing( CD / DVD)
Too few Christian bands have seen their concert performances preserved by professional videographers, but at least the list of deserving-yet-unchronicled groups is one band shorter now. This project finds the four core Choristers complemented by frequent collaborators Marc Byrd( guitar) and Christine Glass( vocals, percussion) on seventeen tracks
that lean heavily on their critically acclaimed Chase the Kangaroo and Circle Slide albums, with enough recent tracks along the way to show that their early successes were no fluke. The crowd, hushed rather than frenetic, clearly appreciated how readily the band replicates the spacious, ambient feel of the studio versions in a concert setting. The DVD is the main attraction, but the career retrospective CD, containing the same songs, makes a welcome addition to the package.
SANDRA MCCRACKEN God’ s Highway
McCracken’ s 11 th album since 2000 finds her stepping away from jangly acoustic pop into a mellow“ live in the home studio” setting. Recording over a period of just a few days, McCracken( on piano, guitar, and of course vocals) reunites with producer / stand-up bass player Jay Foote as well as guitarist Kenny Meeks and percussionist Spencer Cohen for a
SHUBB CAPOS
After
40 still the best!
years
info @ shubb. com • www. shubb. com 707-843-4068
Nov � Dec 2016 ChristianMusician. com
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