| 1. Rain |
| 2. Thinking Over |
| 3. Almost Had It All |
| 4. Cherish |
| 5. Reason |
| 6. Maybe |
| 7. Make It Real |
| 8. River Of Love |
| 9. Falling Into Love |
| 10. Way (Radio Song) |
| 11. Testimony |
| 12. Sing To Me (Bonus Track) |
| 13. It Is You (I Have Loved) (Bonus Track) |
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
"testimony" is the Beautiful Debut Album from One of the Most Talented Aritsts to Hit Our Shores in Years. The Album Includes the First Single "Thinking Over", "Rain" and a Host of Other Songs that Come Straight from the Heart. The UK Edition Includes Two Bonus Tracks "Sing to Me" and "it is You" from the "Shrek" Soundtrack.
If you like India, check out Raul Midon's State Of Mind and Donnie's The Colored Section.
This album was so unexpected. It was one of the most pleasant surprises of the year for me. The whole thing is amazing. I listen to it straight through all the time, interludes and all! Her voice has improved so much; it has gained a new purity and it is now smooth as butter. It glides over the tracks. The production is flawless. She has added a lot of other influences in the mix, including country and gospel. Her re-make of "Heart of the Matter" made me love the song, a small miracle in itself. I listen to "Wings of Forgiveness" every morning, as well as "I Choose" and "Better People."
In short, this album is absolutely amazing. It is one of my favorites of all time! Each song is excellent, has a catchy melody, and delivers a great message. I demand that you buy this album. I cannot wait until Volume 2, Life & Politics. She has supposedly begun recording and it's supposed to come out later this year.
The double disc set starts with Neal singing about the "Land of Beginning Again" before busting into a killer Overture, No.1 to be exact. I'm not going to go into detail here as this album is long and has so many high spots (2 hours!). However, some of my favorites that stick out are the 3 overtures, Ready to Try, Break of Day, California Nights, The Prince of the Power of the Air, Sleeping Jesus, and the suite containing Oh Lord My God.
As far as story goes, the album chronicles Neal's attempts in his 20s to make it in the California singer/songwriter scene, where he played loads of long gigs for little pay. Getting depressed and bitter and dumped by his girlfriend, he hits his lowest ebb as he enters his early 30s. However, he begins to pary and go to church. He moves to Nashville, meets his future wife, gets married, starts having kids, Spock's Beard begins to take off, and he's finally a huge success. But something inside him is restless, and through his spiritual quest, he embraces his Christian faith, leaves the Beard after 8 years and 6 KILLER albums (culminating in his opus with SB, Snow), and begins anew with this disc. Obviously I wish Neal hadn't quit the Beard, but they and he have both done fine since the split.
Even though I am a devout Christian, I usually run the other direction screaming from Christian music. However, Neal's lyrics can be positive and uplifting even if you don't agree with his Christian message, and the musicianship and passion with which all of his work comes across is certainly worth the price of admission alone.
In short, this is a stunning achievement and well worth your time!
I truly feel like an IDIOT because I let my Agnosticism keep me from purchasing any of Neal's Christian albums. Truthfully, that was absolutely THE DUMBEST REASON ON EARTH not to buy this. (And I not only bought this disc, I bought "?" and "One," which I also love.)
As a fan of Neal-era Spock's Beard, and Transatlantic, I should have gotten this MUCH sooner than I did. If one is to look at religion as an intellectual topic rather than a spiritual one, then you really should have no problem with this album. Consider also that Mr. Portnoy is Jewish, and apparently could put his own religious beliefs aside to play on Neal's Christian works. So, really, if he can get over it, why can't you?
Now that we've gotten that out of the way ... this is perhaps Neal's masterwork, and one that should be in any progressive rock fan's library. This isn't too far off of the Spock's Beard path, nor the Transatlantic path - it's just more epic in scope. The orchestrations and arrangements are nothing sort of brilliant. Neal's sense of melody and thematic development have always been what drew me to all of his work - that, and the amount of sonic diversity that you get, both within an album as a whole, and very often within the context of a single track. If this is what you like about Neal's work, then you will not be disappointed in the least. The playing here is top notch as well - when have you heard Mike Portnoy not turn in a jaw dropping performance on the drums? - and lyrically, I don't suppose you can get much more personal than this; Whether or not you care about Jesus or God or any of that, this is Neal's story. And if you respect the man and his work, you can put your personal hangups aside to listen to him.
My only regret is that I didn't get over mine sooner. And while this album has not affected my views on Christianity, it certainly made me consider the amount of cynicism and hypocrisy in my life had reached ridiculous levels when I let something like religious beliefs (or lack thereof) get in the way of listening to something that is so compositionally brilliant and truly a work of genius.
The second disc has some pretty powerful musical/spiritual moments that will really move anyone who is not closed off to Christianity.
1. Talented
2. Vocally superb
3. A fairly good composer.
For a debut album, I have to give her 5 stars. I will be looking forward for her next work.
Darkchild is okay, but their songs always have an over-produced, tin can, electronic, synth sound, which can get old fast. One song here and there on an artist's album is okay, but for a whole album to sound this way is just over-the-top. I love Virtue, but often times on this album they sound like they are beating the music back with a stick. Other times they sound a bit shrill as they sing over the synthetic bleeps and claps. Jerkins's music (either Rodney's or Freddie's) can deluge the vocalist who is trying to sing over such overbearing arrangements.
Overall, I don't think there are enough tight harmonies on this album, which were the trademarks of Virtue's first two albums. Even if their material was not that good, their harmonies always made up for it. The Trotter sisters, Ebony, Karima, and Heather, have beautiful and powerful voices to start with, so why mess it up by computerizing their vocals only to make them sound like those new-school R&B chicks that can't carry a tune in a bucket?
The crunk-n-b flavored "123 Praise" f/T-Bone just missed being a favorite, because the song goes on a little too long and languishes at the end with Karima's attempts to find various ways of singing "1-2-3 Praise!" She starts out with "1-2-that's-2, 2-2-that's-3," tries "3-2-1 Praise!" and then finally gives us a Spanish lesson and calls it a day.
Compared to their previous efforts, I rank this album behind Free, which to me was their breakthrough album as far as vocal maturity and expression. Testimony is contemporary to be sure. It's not as worshipful as their other work, but it certainly may catapult them into the forefront of the ever progressing contemporary gospel music industry.
***And on a side note, I'm just not feeling the cover art either. The stained glass look and the unsmiling faces are not working for me...
Favorite Picks:
"Testimony" Ebony sings the chorus with a light airy vocal quality. Very nice.
"The Sky Is The Limit" Contains the same chorus lyrics as Kiki's "Have What You Want"
"Thank You Jesus" Reminds me of an R. Kelly joint.
"Fall Again" Beautiful lead piano.
"Nothing Ever Mattered" A clumsy love song, but kind of cute.
It all kicks off pleasantly enough with the pacy shuffle of `Follow Me'. The title track, `The Sky is the Limit' and `Thank You Jesus' is a la Destiny's Child (though musically heavier/busier and vocally they are no Destiny's Child!). Generally Testimony's production is sound, an up-to date vibe skillfully executed by musicians (keyboard/piano work is excellent) though I wish the vocals could have stood out a little more in some tracks.
The outstanding `Give Him The Praises', `Praises To You' and the perfectly spacious `Fall Again' are doubtlessly the ones that will make it into your mp3 favourites folder - and stay there for a while. Here the sisters show this is the sound they are comfortable with. Also the worship tracks are genuine, easy to sing while retaining the modern gospel touch.
Unfortunately Testimony includes a couple of questionable album-fillers; `123-Praise!' comes across as a genre too far beyond their comfort zone and the trad-gospel studio-contrived `Get Up' is an unnecessary obstruction to the flow of the album. But those niggles aside Testimony is solid enough to merit a space on your CD tower (remember those!).
I love the song "123 Praise!" that exhorts you to praise the Lord. I love the beat for the song. Then I like "Thank You Jesus" because of the creativity when it starts off with the phone conversation. I loved the way they mixed the conversation into the music.
I even like the song "Get Up". It's an old school type of song, but it's good. It gets you clapping and wanting to "get up" to praise the Lord. I can tell they had some fun with this song, especially when the lead singer told the other singer to hold a long high note until she tells her to stop. Then the other singer started singing but when she stopped, the lead singer said "...I didn't say let it go!" I thought that was funny.
Then on the next track, which is called "Praises to You", flows into a genuine worship song with Martha Munizzi with a reprise to follow it. This was the song that made this a perfect album for me, because I love true worship music. I'm sure a lot of Christians that are maturing would probably like this one. Then they do another nice worship song called "Holy Holy" to keep it going.
All the songs on the albums are good, I like the song "Down With It". It's a fun song to play in the car and to keep me going and focused on Christ at work.
The new Dark Child Gospel label along with Integrity Gospel did a good job on this album. I'm glad Virtue decided to keep working with Uncle Freddy, because this album is truly wonderful for contemporary gospel.
Testimony Of The Ancients- A solid, albeit dissimilar in many ways, follow-up to 1989's Consuming Impulse. This album is very similar to Atheist's Unquestionable Presence. The instrumental intros to each song are somewhat unnecessary but those can easily be skipped. A very different album than most in the genre and a true case of Pestilence's constant ability to push the envelope and redefine what metal is and can sound. Not for everybody but those with the right kind of ears will be pleasantly surprised with what they hear. Out of print for too long, this along with its predecessor, was reissued in a two-disc set by Roadrunner in 2003.
The first album Consuming Impulse is my favorite of the two mainly because it sounds more raw and aggressive it's as if each track is trying to prove something and its unrelentless brutality creates an amazing wall of sound. The whole album is flawless and to me it seems difficult to choose a favorite track but I have to say that Suspended Animation was great and they incorporated a synthesizer during the middle to make it sound more wierd and evil as if it was a gothic horror film, it doesn't sound cheesy infact it helps the song sound better as the riff later uses the same sound as the synth to make an awesome headbanging track. Another highlight would be Chronic Infection and Out of the body which flow together very well and is very atmospheric. The singers vocals sound very twisted like a tortured soul and he sounds almost like John Tardy from Obituary so he sounds inhuman as he starts growling DEIFY THY MASTEEEERRRRRRR!!!!! yeah this is an album that has definitely stood out among the rest of the death metal groups and you will hear this immediately upon first listen that it was ahead of it's time so its very essential and heavy as hell.
Testimony Of The Ancients was slightly different as it has a more clear production, the band couldn't move into a more brutal level so they searched to gain in intensity rather than in brutality. They came up with the lyrical contents that include H.P. Lovecraft and a sci/fi concept which was very clever instead of the usual death and gore type lyrics that death metal is usualy known for. Each track cuts with an interlude this is usaualy a wierd sound effect, the songs have a classical and jazz influence to them but still sound as brutal as the first album, for me the highlight of the album was Prophetic Revelations with its slow and sludgier sounding riff in the beginning of the song which sounds like a grinding machine I loved it infact this whole album is pure brilliance with lots of wailing guitar solos, the other great songs are Stigmatized (which will make your neck snap from all that headbanging), Twisted truth, Lost souls, Land of tears and Testimony. What else can I say YOU NEED TO GET THESE TWO ALBUMS FROM PESTILENCE NOW! STOP READING THIS REVIEW!.
The package collects 1989's "Consuming Impulse" and 1991's "Testimony of the Ancients" by Pestilence, Holland's superb answer to the first wave of real death metal. The forerunners of the genre were spawning in Florida and England but "Impulse" was regarded as something of a landmark at the time, in large part due to the tortured vocals of Martin Van Drunen, who was also posing as the group's bass player at the time. By his own admission, Van Drunen had been hired as the lead vocalist, but as Pestilence had no bassist at the time, they handed him an instrument and told him to play. His inexperience resulted in guitarist Patrick Mameli playing all the bass lines on "Impulse" and its rawer predecessor, "Maleus Malefecarum." By the time of the release of "Consuming Impulse", Van Drunen had become a true vocal maniac, somewhere between Jeff Beccera of Possessed and John Tardy of Obituary, comparisons I certainly don't take lightly. He screams like his shorts are on fire throughout the album, giving distinctive character to the violent riffery of Mameli and newly recruited second guitarist Patrick Uterwijk.
The musical backdrop combines thrash-metal aggression with a burgeoning technicality that would come to full fruition on later releases. In a few spots on the CD, Mameli and Uterwijk step out of typical death metal confines by blending seperate rhythm guitar parts for a deeper web of sound, most notably on the fan favorite "Out of the Body." They also suggest their later prog tendencies with the quirkily timed opening riffs of "Echoes of Death." A personal favorite, lyrically and musically, is the eerie, keyboard-tinged "Suspended Animation", probably the most interesting sci-fi scenario on the disc. Van Drunen and murderous drummer Marco Foddis trade off writing lyrics for the album, touching on many standard themes of horror, religion, pollution, etc., and while neither was an ace with the English language yet, "Suspended Animation" could be the synopsis for a Twighlight Zone episode.
Van Drunen hits a vocal peak toward the end of the album with "Deify Thy Master", a shrieking fit that seemingly had him puking blood on the studio walls. Throughout the CD, producer Harris Johns is able to use what is obviously a low budget to its fullest, with every sound pounding from the speakers like it has something to prove.
Fast forward two years, and one lineup change has morphed Pestilence into an almost completely different band: Van Drunen, shockingly, has exited from the band, joining Asphyx, and with no way to properly replace him, Mameli steps into the role of guitarist/vocalist with admirable gusto. "Testimony of the Ancients" sees a stylistic shift beyond just the difference between the voices of Mameli and Van Drunen: the CD feels almost like a concept album, with 30-second interludes of samples, melodic guitars, and keyboards courtesy of Kent Smith (who provided similar creepy moments on Obituary's "Cause of Death" album)in between each song. The lyrics, now almost exclusively penned by Foddis, have improved substantially and tell tales of conjuring demons from pits of lost souls amidst revelations of Lovecraftian alternate universes and such. Mameli's diction is clear and concise; it's possible to understand most of what he says without consulting the lyric sheet. Overall, his sound is most easily compared to "Leprosy"/"Spiritual Healing"-era Chick Schuldiner.
The production is squeaky-clean Scott Burns all the way, with the drums settling back into the mix rather than pummeling your face off, and a nice, pleasant studio crunch in the guitars not heard on the earlier albums. The biggest step forward musically is the selection of the riffs themselves. Each riff on the disc is memorable and easy to follow, even in the most technical sections. Pestilence had truly learned how to write good songs by this point in their career. Foddis' English is tremendously improved, and his lyrics (as well as those of Mameli's sole lyrical contribution on the title track) are actually RHYTHMIC, falling in catchy, tribal cadences, particularly on "Twisted Truth". There is a stony, bendy hook riff on "Prophetic Revelations" which acts as a super satisfying intro and outro, melting through a moaning porn sample into Mameli's "Testimony", which is direct, simple, and absolutely superb. The band goes full-on prog metal for sections of the closer, "Stigmatized", which paves the way for Pestilence's final studio record, "The Sphere", a CD that pushed them to another level of technicality before the group disbanded at a creative impasse. Finally, a noteworthy contribution is made to the CD by then-Cynic bassist Tony Choy, who frankly isn't given much of a chance to spread his wings except on the bass solo "Soulless." Choy would miss out on the chance to play on Cynic's sole offering, "Focus", but would later become a full-time member of Atheist after guesting on this disc.
I can't say enough good things about this set. If you don't own it or plan to own it, you suck.
Anyway, the music is great, the production is top notch, and listening to Martin van Drunen pre-Asphyx is a blast. Get them.
This is one of the best technical death metal albums of all time. Every single track is a masterpiece, just buy it!!!!
A technical Death Metal Landmark with enough creativity and punishment that make the Ancients proud.
However, Van Drunen left the band after "Consuming Impulse" to join Asphyx, so Mameli had to pick up the vocal duties, and his voice was no match for Van Drunen's guttural retch. So instead of trying to top "Consuming Impulse", Pestilence shuffled sideways a little. The bludgeoning weight of it would be difficult to match anyway, so the band showed their increasing skill and dexterity on "Testimony Of The Ancients".
While some bands played heavy for heavy's sake (take a bow Suffocation), Pestilence never neglected the fact songs are written to be listened to, not weighed. As such, the riffing and vocal refrains (it's a bit much to call them choruses) stick in your head. The band also showed a willingness to include traditional Metal influences, particularly in the soloing. "Twisted Truth" features a great example. Mameli had a great love for Jazz, and introduced a few rudimentary Jazz elements to the sound, producing some creative and at times unexpected riffs.
At the time this was recorded, Atheist and Atrocity were beginning to inspire other bands to explore more technical avenues within the bounds of Death Metal. Tony Choy, bassist for the legendary Cynic, and later Atheist, handled the four string duties on the album, and while there isn't the syncopation and choppy time signature changes of those bands, his playing is quite pliant and flexible, while sacrificing little of the bottom end.
It's not all experimentation and boundary pushing music though. "Lost Souls" is a good, old fashioned blast from the start. The half pace harmonic riffing features again, as it did on "Consuming Impulse", with the rhythm section and solos creating the illusion of speed.
One slight annoyance on the album is the 30 second interludes between songs. They mean very little, and don't really relate to the songs, and the four minutes or so of the album they take up would have been better served being filled by another song.
The overall impact of `Testimony Of The Ancients' is less of a crushing bodyblow than `Consuming Impulse', but it is an album with twists and turns not always noticeable at first. While not the instant classic of its predecessor, `Testimony Of The Ancients' shows Pestilence were about more than just being heavy, and on their day could play rings around a lot of other bands.
"testimony" is the Beautiful Debut Album from One of the Most Talented Aritsts to Hit Our Shores in Years. The Album Includes the First Single "Thinking Over", "Rain" and a Host of Other Songs that Come Straight from the Heart. The UK Edition Includes Two Bonus Tracks "Sing to Me" and "it is You" from the "Shrek" Soundtrack.
Testimony,Dana Glover,Sony/Columbia,Pop,Rock/Pop
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Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship
India.Arie Manufacturer: Motown ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  Contemporary Blues
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ASIN: B000NA2866 Release Date: 2007-02-08 |
Tracks:
- Intro: Loving
- These Eyes
- Heart of the Matter
- Good Mourning
- Private Party
- There's Hope
- Living (Interlude)
- India' Song
- Wings of Forgiveness
- Summer - India.Arie, , , Victor Wooten
- I Am Not My Hair
- Great Grandmother
- Better People
- Outro: Learning
- I Choose
Amazon.com
Log onto an India.Arie lyrics page and you won't come away expecting an easy-breezy listen--here's an artist, remember, who made a name for herself by declaring her disdain for silicone and Cristal on her 2001 debut. What's consistently a revelation for new recruits to the Arie camp, then, is how good the music makes you feel. No matter how heavy the subject matter (and it still gets heavy--God surfaces in the first verse of "Intro," the prayerful opening song), she delivers it in such a way that it ends up feeling like homespun wisdom--accessible, cloudless, and heartening. Testimony, no minor R&B/soul achievement, is full of such earth-mother moments: "The Heart of the Matter," a cover of the Don Henley song, is what a hug might sound like if it were music; "There's Hope" reminds tunefully that you don't have to pay to smile ("You better thank God for that"); "Private Party" points up the benefits of getting naked before a mirror and liking what you see (impossible as that sounds, it'll seem less so after listening); and "I Am Not My Hair," a sexy thumper featuring Akon, celebrates not the hair, not the skin, but "the soul that lives within." Musically, "Testament" is a testament to the benefits of branching out; in addition to gospel and hip-hop, you'll also find country and pure pop forays here. All of it works, and works wondrously. Arie may be the Oprah of the music world: she's spiritual, she's got her head screwed on straight, and whatever she touches turns to gold. Or at least it ought to. --Tammy La GorceCustomer Reviews:
Great Album.......2007-07-20
All Time Favorite Album Right Now!.......2007-07-17
OUTSTANDING !!!!.......2007-07-16
Inspiring.......2007-07-13
Great CD.......2007-07-03
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Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship
India.Arie Manufacturer: Motown ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Contemporary Blues
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ASIN: B000FII33I Release Date: 2006-06-27 |
Tracks:
- Intro: Loving (interlude)
- These Eyes
- The Heart Of The Matter
- Good Morning
- Private Party
- Theres Hope
- Interlude: Living (interlude)
- IndiaSong
- Wings Of Forgiveness
- Summer
- I Am Not My Hair f/ Akon
- Great Grandmother (interlude)
- Better People
- Outro: Learning (interlude)
- I Choose
Amazon.com
Log onto an India.Arie lyrics page and you won't come away expecting an easy-breezy listen--here's an artist, remember, who made a name for herself by declaring her disdain for silicone and Cristal on her 2001 debut. What's consistently a revelation for new recruits to the Arie camp, then, is how good the music makes you feel. No matter how heavy the subject matter (and it still gets heavy--God surfaces in the first verse of "Intro," the prayerful opening song), she delivers it in such a way that it ends up feeling like homespun wisdom--accessible, cloudless, and heartening. Testimony, no minor R&B/soul achievement, is full of such earth-mother moments: "The Heart of the Matter," a cover of the Don Henley song, is what a hug might sound like if it were music; "There's Hope" reminds tunefully that you don't have to pay to smile ("You better thank God for that"); "Private Party" points up the benefits of getting naked before a mirror and liking what you see (impossible as that sounds, it'll seem less so after listening); and "I Am Not My Hair," a sexy thumper featuring Akon, celebrates not the hair, not the skin, but "the soul that lives within." Musically, "Testament" is a testament to the benefits of branching out; in addition to gospel and hip-hop, you'll also find country and pure pop forays here. All of it works, and works wondrously. Arie may be the Oprah of the music world: she's spiritual, she's got her head screwed on straight, and whatever she touches turns to gold. Or at least it ought to. --Tammy La GorceCustomer Reviews:
Best CD ever.......2007-07-22
An empowering gift.......2007-06-01
Groove on Sister!.......2007-05-28
She does it again.......2007-05-18
If you like India, check out Raul Midon's State Of Mind and Donnie's The Colored Section.
Stunning!.......2007-04-14
This album was so unexpected. It was one of the most pleasant surprises of the year for me. The whole thing is amazing. I listen to it straight through all the time, interludes and all! Her voice has improved so much; it has gained a new purity and it is now smooth as butter. It glides over the tracks. The production is flawless. She has added a lot of other influences in the mix, including country and gospel. Her re-make of "Heart of the Matter" made me love the song, a small miracle in itself. I listen to "Wings of Forgiveness" every morning, as well as "I Choose" and "Better People."
In short, this album is absolutely amazing. It is one of my favorites of all time! Each song is excellent, has a catchy melody, and delivers a great message. I demand that you buy this album. I cannot wait until Volume 2, Life & Politics. She has supposedly begun recording and it's supposed to come out later this year.
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Testimony
Neal Morse Manufacturer: Metal Blade ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B0000C7PRY Release Date: 2003-09-23 |
Tracks:
- The Land Of Beginning Again
- Overture No.1
- California Nights
- Colder in the Sun
- Sleeping Jesus
- Interlude
- The Prince of the Power of the Air
- The Promise
- Wasted Life
- Overture No. 2
- Break of Day
- Power in the Air
- Somber Days
- Long Story
- It's All I Can Do
Tracks:
- Transformation
- Ready to Try
- Sing it High
- Moving in my Heart
- I Am Willing
- In the Middle
- The Storm Before the Calm
- Oh, to Feel Him
- God's Theme
- Overture No. 3
- Rejoice
- Oh Lord My Lord
- God's Theme 2
- The Land of Beginning
Album Description
2 Disc Box set including a booklet of "Testimony notes" with Neal's reflections on each track. . ARTIST BIO:: When NEAL MORSE left SPOCK'S BEARD, the band he founded with his brother in Los Angeles in 1992, legions of SB fans around the world were left wondering if they would hear from Neal ever again. To many fans, SPOCK'S BEARD was Neal, or at least Neal's musical vision. As the band's primary songwriter and lead vocalist, the only apparent reason to leave the highly acclaimed musical juggernaut at the height of their global popularity, would be to set away from music all together...History...
Neal grew up in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles throughout the 60's and 70's. His father was a choral director and his influence on Neal was quite significant, teaching him to harmonize at an early age and exposing him to many different styles of music. Neal began taking piano lessons at the age of five, sang lead in the opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors" at the tender age of nine, and picked up the guitar soon afterwards. Throughout his twenties, Neal wrote about a million songs and played all over Los Angeles trying to get a deal as a singer/songwriter. In between writing two full-scale musicals, Neal also played sessions for Al Stewart, Peter White and Skipper Wise amongst others.
In his early thirties, Morse grew restless with the LA scene and packed up his things to go travel around Europe, busking in the streets and playing in small clubs. Neal found the experience to be quite valuable and after having played all over Hamburg, Berlin and Paris, he returned to the US and decided to form the band Spock's Beard with his brother Alan. Recruiting a line up of top session musicians, the band recorded it's debut album, "The Light" in 1994, an album which critics have called one of the best progressive albums of the last ten years. The band (with Neal) has recorded five studio albums and one live album ("Beware Of Darkness", "The Kindness Of Strangers", "Day For Night", "V", "Snow" and "The Beard Is Out There - Live") and have been hailed as one of the best progressive bands on the scene.
In 2002, after the release of Spock's Beard's epic 2 CD concept album "Snow", Neal inexplicably left the group. The timing could not have been stranger, as "Snow" received unanimous beaming reviews from writers around the world.
Well, fortunately for his audience and seemingly overnight, Neal is far from done, and is more likely just getting started. In similar step with his SPOCK'S BEARD swansong "Snow", Neal has fashioned yet another double disc of stunning music. "Testimony" is a new beginning for Neal, and a glorious musical beginning it is. Neal's musical output is, for lack of a better word, staggering. 21 tracks include all the elements Neal has become famous for, a cappella multi-harmonic vocal sections, thought provoking lyrics and the top shelf musicianship lacking in most popular music today. Neal has broadened his musical breadth on "Testimony" including, for the first time, members of the NASHVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Neal even has even gone so far as to reach out to one of his own musical influences, KERRY LIVGREN (KANSAS), who graciously contributed to "Testimony". Long time friend and TRANSATLANTIC collaborator, MIKE PORTNOY (Dream Theater) also refused to be left behind, and can be heard behind the drum kit on the entire album. You can hear Neal's newfound enthusiasm on "Testimony", it's the sound of a modern musical master, and quite a testimony it is.
Customer Reviews:
Neal's first post-Beard solo album is amazing.......2007-03-10
The double disc set starts with Neal singing about the "Land of Beginning Again" before busting into a killer Overture, No.1 to be exact. I'm not going to go into detail here as this album is long and has so many high spots (2 hours!). However, some of my favorites that stick out are the 3 overtures, Ready to Try, Break of Day, California Nights, The Prince of the Power of the Air, Sleeping Jesus, and the suite containing Oh Lord My God.
As far as story goes, the album chronicles Neal's attempts in his 20s to make it in the California singer/songwriter scene, where he played loads of long gigs for little pay. Getting depressed and bitter and dumped by his girlfriend, he hits his lowest ebb as he enters his early 30s. However, he begins to pary and go to church. He moves to Nashville, meets his future wife, gets married, starts having kids, Spock's Beard begins to take off, and he's finally a huge success. But something inside him is restless, and through his spiritual quest, he embraces his Christian faith, leaves the Beard after 8 years and 6 KILLER albums (culminating in his opus with SB, Snow), and begins anew with this disc. Obviously I wish Neal hadn't quit the Beard, but they and he have both done fine since the split.
Even though I am a devout Christian, I usually run the other direction screaming from Christian music. However, Neal's lyrics can be positive and uplifting even if you don't agree with his Christian message, and the musicianship and passion with which all of his work comes across is certainly worth the price of admission alone.
In short, this is a stunning achievement and well worth your time!
Why did I wait?.......2007-02-26
I truly feel like an IDIOT because I let my Agnosticism keep me from purchasing any of Neal's Christian albums. Truthfully, that was absolutely THE DUMBEST REASON ON EARTH not to buy this. (And I not only bought this disc, I bought "?" and "One," which I also love.)
As a fan of Neal-era Spock's Beard, and Transatlantic, I should have gotten this MUCH sooner than I did. If one is to look at religion as an intellectual topic rather than a spiritual one, then you really should have no problem with this album. Consider also that Mr. Portnoy is Jewish, and apparently could put his own religious beliefs aside to play on Neal's Christian works. So, really, if he can get over it, why can't you?
Now that we've gotten that out of the way ... this is perhaps Neal's masterwork, and one that should be in any progressive rock fan's library. This isn't too far off of the Spock's Beard path, nor the Transatlantic path - it's just more epic in scope. The orchestrations and arrangements are nothing sort of brilliant. Neal's sense of melody and thematic development have always been what drew me to all of his work - that, and the amount of sonic diversity that you get, both within an album as a whole, and very often within the context of a single track. If this is what you like about Neal's work, then you will not be disappointed in the least. The playing here is top notch as well - when have you heard Mike Portnoy not turn in a jaw dropping performance on the drums? - and lyrically, I don't suppose you can get much more personal than this; Whether or not you care about Jesus or God or any of that, this is Neal's story. And if you respect the man and his work, you can put your personal hangups aside to listen to him.
My only regret is that I didn't get over mine sooner. And while this album has not affected my views on Christianity, it certainly made me consider the amount of cynicism and hypocrisy in my life had reached ridiculous levels when I let something like religious beliefs (or lack thereof) get in the way of listening to something that is so compositionally brilliant and truly a work of genius.
Essential Neal Morse solo music.......2007-02-06
The second disc has some pretty powerful musical/spiritual moments that will really move anyone who is not closed off to Christianity.
conversion to christianity.......2006-06-14
Not merely for the ears..........2006-06-01
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Testimony
Dana Glover Manufacturer: Dreamworks ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B00006LLPN Release Date: 2002-10-15 |
Tracks:
- Rain
- Thinking Over
- Almost Had It All
- Cherish
- A Reason
- Maybe
- Make It Real
- River Of Love
- Falling Into Love
- The Way (Radio Song)
- Testimony
Amazon.com
Testimony may be Dana Glover's debut album, but the former model has been around a while, playing sax on five Pete Cetera albums before her rough-and-tumble contralto came to the attention of former Band member turned A&R maven Robbie Robertson, who signed her to Dreamworks. Glover has packed away her unwieldy sax, instead accompanying herself with soulful, theatrical piano on the 11 mostly original songs on the disc. Recalling Laura Nyro, Glover relies heavily on her Southern Baptist upbringing; a specter of religion pervades the songs. She wrestles with loss of faith on the bleak and spare "Rain," but petitions God to help her make up her mind on "Thinking Over," her ponderous retelling of Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken." In addition, Glover employs the able services of a gospel choir on three songs, stopping just this side of being a contemporary Christian artist. What prevents her from ascending that thorny road to glory is her taste for pop and her fascination with dissecting failed relationships in song. But when she turns her attention to such earthbound topics, she loses some of her fire. Glover is better served letting her Southern gothic side surface. --Jaan UhelszkiCustomer Reviews:
Wonderful artist.......2007-05-07
Addictive.......2007-03-09
NEW TALENT ON THE BLOCK.......2006-11-03
1. Talented
2. Vocally superb
3. A fairly good composer.
For a debut album, I have to give her 5 stars. I will be looking forward for her next work.
Wonderful Listen.......2006-09-21
Dana Glover delivers.......2006-03-11
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Testimony
Virtue Manufacturer: Integrity Music/Gospel ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Gospel
| Christian & Gospel
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ASIN: B000FVGMJ2 Release Date: 2006-06-20 |
Tracks:
- Follow Me
- Testimony
- The Sky Is The Limit
- 123 Praise!
- Give Him The Praises
- Thank You Jesus
- Fall Again
- Nothing Ever Mattered
- Get Up
- Praises To You
- Praises To You (Reprise)
- Holy Holy
- Down With It
Product Description
Since their formation in the 90s, this vocal group of sisters has released four projects and received multiple nominations for Grammy, Stellar and Dove Awards. Their latest project, Testimony, was produced by and features the irresistible songwriting of Fred Jerkins III (Destinys Child, Toni Braxton and Whitney Houston) and LaShawn Daniels (Destinys Child, Brandy, Michael Jackson).These infectious songs transcend musical boundaries with masterful segues from R&B to pop to contemporary Gospel. Testimony showcases Virtues signature harmonies and worshipful emotive style with club-savvy, groove-driven songs. Their authentic message is evident as they set out to seize the music scene and move into the greatness of their calling.Customer Reviews:
Good Gospel!!.......2007-01-20
Virtue Get the Darkchild Treatment on Testimony.......2006-12-13
Darkchild is okay, but their songs always have an over-produced, tin can, electronic, synth sound, which can get old fast. One song here and there on an artist's album is okay, but for a whole album to sound this way is just over-the-top. I love Virtue, but often times on this album they sound like they are beating the music back with a stick. Other times they sound a bit shrill as they sing over the synthetic bleeps and claps. Jerkins's music (either Rodney's or Freddie's) can deluge the vocalist who is trying to sing over such overbearing arrangements.
Overall, I don't think there are enough tight harmonies on this album, which were the trademarks of Virtue's first two albums. Even if their material was not that good, their harmonies always made up for it. The Trotter sisters, Ebony, Karima, and Heather, have beautiful and powerful voices to start with, so why mess it up by computerizing their vocals only to make them sound like those new-school R&B chicks that can't carry a tune in a bucket?
The crunk-n-b flavored "123 Praise" f/T-Bone just missed being a favorite, because the song goes on a little too long and languishes at the end with Karima's attempts to find various ways of singing "1-2-3 Praise!" She starts out with "1-2-that's-2, 2-2-that's-3," tries "3-2-1 Praise!" and then finally gives us a Spanish lesson and calls it a day.
Compared to their previous efforts, I rank this album behind Free, which to me was their breakthrough album as far as vocal maturity and expression. Testimony is contemporary to be sure. It's not as worshipful as their other work, but it certainly may catapult them into the forefront of the ever progressing contemporary gospel music industry.
***And on a side note, I'm just not feeling the cover art either. The stained glass look and the unsmiling faces are not working for me...
Favorite Picks:
"Testimony" Ebony sings the chorus with a light airy vocal quality. Very nice.
"The Sky Is The Limit" Contains the same chorus lyrics as Kiki's "Have What You Want"
"Thank You Jesus" Reminds me of an R. Kelly joint.
"Fall Again" Beautiful lead piano.
"Nothing Ever Mattered" A clumsy love song, but kind of cute.
Testimony is the sixth release for Virtue.......2006-10-06
It all kicks off pleasantly enough with the pacy shuffle of `Follow Me'. The title track, `The Sky is the Limit' and `Thank You Jesus' is a la Destiny's Child (though musically heavier/busier and vocally they are no Destiny's Child!). Generally Testimony's production is sound, an up-to date vibe skillfully executed by musicians (keyboard/piano work is excellent) though I wish the vocals could have stood out a little more in some tracks.
The outstanding `Give Him The Praises', `Praises To You' and the perfectly spacious `Fall Again' are doubtlessly the ones that will make it into your mp3 favourites folder - and stay there for a while. Here the sisters show this is the sound they are comfortable with. Also the worship tracks are genuine, easy to sing while retaining the modern gospel touch.
Unfortunately Testimony includes a couple of questionable album-fillers; `123-Praise!' comes across as a genre too far beyond their comfort zone and the trad-gospel studio-contrived `Get Up' is an unnecessary obstruction to the flow of the album. But those niggles aside Testimony is solid enough to merit a space on your CD tower (remember those!).
Virtue's Best Album, and I thought the last one was good!.......2006-09-09
Contemporary Praise and Worship.......2006-09-06
I love the song "123 Praise!" that exhorts you to praise the Lord. I love the beat for the song. Then I like "Thank You Jesus" because of the creativity when it starts off with the phone conversation. I loved the way they mixed the conversation into the music.
I even like the song "Get Up". It's an old school type of song, but it's good. It gets you clapping and wanting to "get up" to praise the Lord. I can tell they had some fun with this song, especially when the lead singer told the other singer to hold a long high note until she tells her to stop. Then the other singer started singing but when she stopped, the lead singer said "...I didn't say let it go!" I thought that was funny.
Then on the next track, which is called "Praises to You", flows into a genuine worship song with Martha Munizzi with a reprise to follow it. This was the song that made this a perfect album for me, because I love true worship music. I'm sure a lot of Christians that are maturing would probably like this one. Then they do another nice worship song called "Holy Holy" to keep it going.
All the songs on the albums are good, I like the song "Down With It". It's a fun song to play in the car and to keep me going and focused on Christ at work.
The new Dark Child Gospel label along with Integrity Gospel did a good job on this album. I'm glad Virtue decided to keep working with Uncle Freddy, because this album is truly wonderful for contemporary gospel.
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Consuming Impulse/Testimony of the Ancients
Pestilence Manufacturer: Roadrunner Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Alternative Rock
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ASIN: B0000C0FIL Release Date: 2003-09-09 |
Tracks:
- Dehydrated
- Process of Suffocation
- Suspended Animation
- Trauma
- Chronic Infection
- Out of the Body
- Echoes of Death
- Deify Thy Master
- Proliferous Souls
- Reduced to Ashes
Tracks:
- Secrecies of Horror
- Bitterness
- Twisted Truth
- Darkening
- Lost Souls
- Blood
- Land of Tears
- Free Us from Temptation
- Prophetic Revelations
- Impure
- Testimony
- Souless
- Presence of the Dead
- Mind Wrap
- Stigmatized
- In Sorrow
Album Description
UK twofer combines the Dutch death metaller's 1989 albums, 'Consuming Impulse' & 'Testimony Of The Ancients', both are unavailable domestically. Roadrunner. 2003.Customer Reviews:
Killer 2-Disc Reissue!!.......2007-04-03
Testimony Of The Ancients- A solid, albeit dissimilar in many ways, follow-up to 1989's Consuming Impulse. This album is very similar to Atheist's Unquestionable Presence. The instrumental intros to each song are somewhat unnecessary but those can easily be skipped. A very different album than most in the genre and a true case of Pestilence's constant ability to push the envelope and redefine what metal is and can sound. Not for everybody but those with the right kind of ears will be pleasantly surprised with what they hear. Out of print for too long, this along with its predecessor, was reissued in a two-disc set by Roadrunner in 2003.
It will make you wish for a quick and painless death ;-)........2007-01-24
The first album Consuming Impulse is my favorite of the two mainly because it sounds more raw and aggressive it's as if each track is trying to prove something and its unrelentless brutality creates an amazing wall of sound. The whole album is flawless and to me it seems difficult to choose a favorite track but I have to say that Suspended Animation was great and they incorporated a synthesizer during the middle to make it sound more wierd and evil as if it was a gothic horror film, it doesn't sound cheesy infact it helps the song sound better as the riff later uses the same sound as the synth to make an awesome headbanging track. Another highlight would be Chronic Infection and Out of the body which flow together very well and is very atmospheric. The singers vocals sound very twisted like a tortured soul and he sounds almost like John Tardy from Obituary so he sounds inhuman as he starts growling DEIFY THY MASTEEEERRRRRRR!!!!! yeah this is an album that has definitely stood out among the rest of the death metal groups and you will hear this immediately upon first listen that it was ahead of it's time so its very essential and heavy as hell.
Testimony Of The Ancients was slightly different as it has a more clear production, the band couldn't move into a more brutal level so they searched to gain in intensity rather than in brutality. They came up with the lyrical contents that include H.P. Lovecraft and a sci/fi concept which was very clever instead of the usual death and gore type lyrics that death metal is usualy known for. Each track cuts with an interlude this is usaualy a wierd sound effect, the songs have a classical and jazz influence to them but still sound as brutal as the first album, for me the highlight of the album was Prophetic Revelations with its slow and sludgier sounding riff in the beginning of the song which sounds like a grinding machine I loved it infact this whole album is pure brilliance with lots of wailing guitar solos, the other great songs are Stigmatized (which will make your neck snap from all that headbanging), Twisted truth, Lost souls, Land of tears and Testimony. What else can I say YOU NEED TO GET THESE TWO ALBUMS FROM PESTILENCE NOW! STOP READING THIS REVIEW!.
Slab of Evolution.......2006-02-03
The package collects 1989's "Consuming Impulse" and 1991's "Testimony of the Ancients" by Pestilence, Holland's superb answer to the first wave of real death metal. The forerunners of the genre were spawning in Florida and England but "Impulse" was regarded as something of a landmark at the time, in large part due to the tortured vocals of Martin Van Drunen, who was also posing as the group's bass player at the time. By his own admission, Van Drunen had been hired as the lead vocalist, but as Pestilence had no bassist at the time, they handed him an instrument and told him to play. His inexperience resulted in guitarist Patrick Mameli playing all the bass lines on "Impulse" and its rawer predecessor, "Maleus Malefecarum." By the time of the release of "Consuming Impulse", Van Drunen had become a true vocal maniac, somewhere between Jeff Beccera of Possessed and John Tardy of Obituary, comparisons I certainly don't take lightly. He screams like his shorts are on fire throughout the album, giving distinctive character to the violent riffery of Mameli and newly recruited second guitarist Patrick Uterwijk.
The musical backdrop combines thrash-metal aggression with a burgeoning technicality that would come to full fruition on later releases. In a few spots on the CD, Mameli and Uterwijk step out of typical death metal confines by blending seperate rhythm guitar parts for a deeper web of sound, most notably on the fan favorite "Out of the Body." They also suggest their later prog tendencies with the quirkily timed opening riffs of "Echoes of Death." A personal favorite, lyrically and musically, is the eerie, keyboard-tinged "Suspended Animation", probably the most interesting sci-fi scenario on the disc. Van Drunen and murderous drummer Marco Foddis trade off writing lyrics for the album, touching on many standard themes of horror, religion, pollution, etc., and while neither was an ace with the English language yet, "Suspended Animation" could be the synopsis for a Twighlight Zone episode.
Van Drunen hits a vocal peak toward the end of the album with "Deify Thy Master", a shrieking fit that seemingly had him puking blood on the studio walls. Throughout the CD, producer Harris Johns is able to use what is obviously a low budget to its fullest, with every sound pounding from the speakers like it has something to prove.
Fast forward two years, and one lineup change has morphed Pestilence into an almost completely different band: Van Drunen, shockingly, has exited from the band, joining Asphyx, and with no way to properly replace him, Mameli steps into the role of guitarist/vocalist with admirable gusto. "Testimony of the Ancients" sees a stylistic shift beyond just the difference between the voices of Mameli and Van Drunen: the CD feels almost like a concept album, with 30-second interludes of samples, melodic guitars, and keyboards courtesy of Kent Smith (who provided similar creepy moments on Obituary's "Cause of Death" album)in between each song. The lyrics, now almost exclusively penned by Foddis, have improved substantially and tell tales of conjuring demons from pits of lost souls amidst revelations of Lovecraftian alternate universes and such. Mameli's diction is clear and concise; it's possible to understand most of what he says without consulting the lyric sheet. Overall, his sound is most easily compared to "Leprosy"/"Spiritual Healing"-era Chick Schuldiner.
The production is squeaky-clean Scott Burns all the way, with the drums settling back into the mix rather than pummeling your face off, and a nice, pleasant studio crunch in the guitars not heard on the earlier albums. The biggest step forward musically is the selection of the riffs themselves. Each riff on the disc is memorable and easy to follow, even in the most technical sections. Pestilence had truly learned how to write good songs by this point in their career. Foddis' English is tremendously improved, and his lyrics (as well as those of Mameli's sole lyrical contribution on the title track) are actually RHYTHMIC, falling in catchy, tribal cadences, particularly on "Twisted Truth". There is a stony, bendy hook riff on "Prophetic Revelations" which acts as a super satisfying intro and outro, melting through a moaning porn sample into Mameli's "Testimony", which is direct, simple, and absolutely superb. The band goes full-on prog metal for sections of the closer, "Stigmatized", which paves the way for Pestilence's final studio record, "The Sphere", a CD that pushed them to another level of technicality before the group disbanded at a creative impasse. Finally, a noteworthy contribution is made to the CD by then-Cynic bassist Tony Choy, who frankly isn't given much of a chance to spread his wings except on the bass solo "Soulless." Choy would miss out on the chance to play on Cynic's sole offering, "Focus", but would later become a full-time member of Atheist after guesting on this disc.
I can't say enough good things about this set. If you don't own it or plan to own it, you suck.
WOW...too bad they didn't last.......2005-02-07
Anyway, the music is great, the production is top notch, and listening to Martin van Drunen pre-Asphyx is a blast. Get them.
Death Metal Has A New Name.......2004-11-07
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Testimony
Ferron Manufacturer: Ferron ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Contemporary Folk
| Folk
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ASIN: B000PMLJ0S Release Date: 2007-05-15 |
Tracks:
- Almost Kissed
- Rosalee
- Our Purpose Here
- Who Loses
- Testimony
- Bellybowl
- Satin Blouse
- O Baby
- Misty Mountain
- Ain't Life a Brook
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ROIR Dub Sessions
Bill Laswell Manufacturer: ROIR ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B0000X1K3I Release Date: 2003-11-18 |
Tracks:
- Dread Iternal
- Thunupa
- Cybotron
- Ethiopia/ The Lower Ground
Album Description
ROIR, in conjunction with Bill Laswell, has put together an excellent collection from our four wide-ranging Laswell releases- not necessarily a best of Laswell as that's far too subjective, but an authoritative look into his work with ROIR. Laswell has created four albums for ROIR with our eclectic musical taste in mind. The bass is heavy and the accompanying musicians world-renowned. Laswell's ROIR Dub Sessions offers the listener a superb occasion to immerse oneself in the Laswell sound! Economically Priced!!! Over 45 Minutes!!!Customer Reviews:
Laswell is Phatness Personified.......2005-01-05
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Testimony of the Ancients
Pestilence Manufacturer: Roadrunner Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Rock
| Styles
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General
| Hard Rock & Metal
| Styles
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Hard Rock & Metal
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ASIN: B000008JEW Release Date: 1991-07-01 |
Tracks:
- Secrecies of Horror
- Bitterness
- Twisted Truth
- Darkening
- Lost Souls
- Blood
- Land of Tears
- Free Us From Temptation
- Prophetic Revelations
- Impure
- Testimony
- Soulless
- Presence of the Dead
- Mind Warp
- Stigmatized
- In Sorrow
Album Description
Swedish edition of the Dutch death metal act's 1991 album. 16 tracks. Roadrunner.Customer Reviews:
Better than Consuming Impulse!!!.......2005-04-19
This is one of the best technical death metal albums of all time. Every single track is a masterpiece, just buy it!!!!
Awakening of the Ancients........2004-12-11
A technical Death Metal Landmark with enough creativity and punishment that make the Ancients proud.
Testify!.......2004-12-03
However, Van Drunen left the band after "Consuming Impulse" to join Asphyx, so Mameli had to pick up the vocal duties, and his voice was no match for Van Drunen's guttural retch. So instead of trying to top "Consuming Impulse", Pestilence shuffled sideways a little. The bludgeoning weight of it would be difficult to match anyway, so the band showed their increasing skill and dexterity on "Testimony Of The Ancients".
While some bands played heavy for heavy's sake (take a bow Suffocation), Pestilence never neglected the fact songs are written to be listened to, not weighed. As such, the riffing and vocal refrains (it's a bit much to call them choruses) stick in your head. The band also showed a willingness to include traditional Metal influences, particularly in the soloing. "Twisted Truth" features a great example. Mameli had a great love for Jazz, and introduced a few rudimentary Jazz elements to the sound, producing some creative and at times unexpected riffs.
At the time this was recorded, Atheist and Atrocity were beginning to inspire other bands to explore more technical avenues within the bounds of Death Metal. Tony Choy, bassist for the legendary Cynic, and later Atheist, handled the four string duties on the album, and while there isn't the syncopation and choppy time signature changes of those bands, his playing is quite pliant and flexible, while sacrificing little of the bottom end.
It's not all experimentation and boundary pushing music though. "Lost Souls" is a good, old fashioned blast from the start. The half pace harmonic riffing features again, as it did on "Consuming Impulse", with the rhythm section and solos creating the illusion of speed.
One slight annoyance on the album is the 30 second interludes between songs. They mean very little, and don't really relate to the songs, and the four minutes or so of the album they take up would have been better served being filled by another song.
The overall impact of `Testimony Of The Ancients' is less of a crushing bodyblow than `Consuming Impulse', but it is an album with twists and turns not always noticeable at first. While not the instant classic of its predecessor, `Testimony Of The Ancients' shows Pestilence were about more than just being heavy, and on their day could play rings around a lot of other bands.
ahh...love it.......2004-04-13
A must-have for every serious death metal fan.......2003-12-28
Pestilence's "Testimonies.." is by all accounts one of the crucial Death metal from the golden age of this genre. It goes together with Death's "Human", Obituary's "Cause of Death," Sepultura's "Arise." It's a classic and you will love it.
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Testimony from Rwanda
Samputu Manufacturer: Multicultural Media ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| International
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World Dance
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ASIN: B0002VGR0E Release Date: 2004-09-14 |
Tracks:
- Cherish The Children
- Praise To Be God
- Falling In Love With Muslim Girl
- Ten Years Remembering
- Beautiful Rwanda
- Coming Home
- He Is Saved
- God, Where Were You?
- Courageous Warrior
- Ngarambe
- Tamara
- Tuzagera
- Ten Years Remembering(A Capella Version)
Album Description
Testimony from Rwanda is his first acoustic recording and his first American recording. It blends styles and traditions that are embedded in his very musical being; among others, 5/8 dance rhythms, ballads, soukous, gospel, African rhumba, and pygmy. Rehema is a lively Rwanda traditional-style dance tune which tells the story of a young Christian man who falls in love with a Muslim girl. Ngarambe is another traditional Rwandan rhythm (in 5/8). Singizwa is a gospel song based on traditional pygmy (intwatwa) style which praises God. Rwanda Rwiza is dedicated to "Beautiful Rwanda." Tuzagera is national gospel-tinged song performed in a straight-ahead soukous dance style. Twararutashaye is Samputu's plea to fellow Rwandans to return to Rwanda after the genocide. He is accompanied on this recording by Aron Niyitunga, his longtime friend and a tremendously versatile musician who plays guitars, keyboard and bass, and Jordan Mensah from Ghana who plays hand drums and hand percussion.Customer Reviews:
Inspiring and soulful!.......2006-06-22
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