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Peter Spence - I'll Fly Away
Peter Spence - I'll Fly Away
Whether you love God or just good music, this is a real treat.
Sampler
Gospel, as well as being the sound track of enthusiastic Christianity, is a real music lovers music. It has a strong connection with reggae: being popular in Jamaica, one of the most churchical countries for its size in the world. But it also touches both soul and country - making a mockery of the heavily segregated recording industry of today where liking all four genres can be viewed as radical rather than a common sense move.
The Birmingham lovers rock singer Peter Spence (in what could be seen as reversal of the church-to-secular path of US singers like Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke and R Kelly) has decided to put out this Godly album featuring compiled tracks from a variety of producers. It's overseen by executive producer Clive Dunkley of Gospel In The City Productions - and if you appreciate both styles it's a real treat.
Source material includes the Bible itself (for a Peter Hunnigale produced The Lord’s Prayer); the poet John Paul Moore’s Drinking For My Saucer (for James Crosdale of Yllavation Productions) and Amazing Grace helmed by Kemar Flava McGregor (and inspired by the hymn written by the slavery abolitionist John Newton). There are also two covers of troubled US gospel singer Donnie McKlurkin – Great Is Your Mercy and Only You Are Holy. The Peckings rhythmed title track is one of the most recorded sacred songs in history: written by Albert E Brumley in 1929 and voiced by old-time country and blue grass artists like the Chuck Wagon Gang, James and Martha Carson, and Alison Kraus (showing that in gospel there is no "black" or "white" music - only God's). Spence’s voice, similar in range yet slightly rougher than angelic colleague Lloyd Brown's, takes full ownership of every song. He even writes some fine cuts of his own - such as the acoustic guitar and (somewhat oddly) autotuned He's Come.
It would be nice to hear Peter cut a second gospel set with the more organic vintage rhythms of Peckings (their cover of Border, over Duke Reid and the Melodians I Will Get Along Without You sets the standard for their work). Also, the otherwise wonderful Give God Praises sounds like a very compressed mp3 even on CD. But this is a compilation rather than a straight album (and an unusual and welcome project in these uncertain times). Whether you love God or just good music, you will be forgiven for thinking somebody up there likes us very much.
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Read comments (3)
| Posted by moustapha on 04.10.2012 | |
| I like the way you think the things. | |
| Posted by Paulo Spencer on 04.10.2012 | |
| bakerly | |
| Posted by Getha on 12.14.2012 | |
| I disagree with your comment about Peter's voice being slightly rougher than Lloyds- I think the opposite... but this is down to individual opinion -they both have amazing voices that are simialiar in range, I agreeLlloyd Brown's track know yourself (duet with Peter Spence version) shows how well these two beautiful voices flow into each other - their voices in this track send shivers down my spine.. Let's hope there is a second album soon.. & more duets with Lloyd Brown. | |
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