Louder Than The Music

I have to be honest, I am rubbish at discerning musical genres. Unless a track has mega dance beats or a rocking guitar I am usually lost at knowing what it is. With that in mind I want to call this a blues album, but should point out that I am basing this purely on Aerosmith's Honking On Bobo, when the band returned to their roots with an album of covers they played in the early days.

The album opens with this strong bluesy feel mixed with a cool gospel edge, or maybe it's the other way round, but anyway the mix works. I was instantly thinking of the Aerosmith album and, as I was looking over the track listing the second track caught my eye; You Gotta Move. Hmm, could it be? Surely not. But as the track kicked in I was confused. It opens sounding very much like Jesus Is On The Main Line from Aerosmith's album but, sure enough, it turns into a very bluesy version of You Gotta Move. It's a good version, but for me, I need the rock element.

Away from Aerosmith and back on Ashley the gospel elements of the album really come into play as the album continues. Going To Heaven To Meet The King has Ashley back with a full gospel choir transporting you to a South American Church in the 1950's, and that isn't a bad song. Gospel has a way of conveying faith regardless of the words being sung.

Live The life is a great example of soulful blues. Ashley's voice sits perfectly over the dominant bass line giving a beautiful product from very simple components. Denomination Blues, on the other hand, is a beautifully melodic guitar driven song and Ashley's voice, again, suites it perfectly.

Ashley Cleveland has come to be known as the unsung hero of within the Christian music circle but this album has already been called 'one of the best Gospel-Rock albums in a long time' by Christianity Today (told you I wasn't good with genres) and it certainly is a great album. Unfortunately for me it lost something in the 2 minute instrumental end song; an album filled with such strong vocals and lyrics should go out with a bigger bang.

Review By Suzanne Physick

LTTM Rating 3 out of 5 Stars
Stand out tracks
Live The Life
Denomination Blues
God Don't Ever Change