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Brian Free & Assurance is definitely one of Southern Gospel music's premier quartets. Brian Free's long history in Gospel music has afforded him the opportunity of singing in front of a lot of people over the years and earning himself a legion of fans. Over the years, Brian Free & Assurance's music has gotten more and more progressive. The #1 hit "Long As I Got King Jesus" and next release It's So God (which released a couple years ago) really set the group up as the premier progressive quartet in the business. It's So God became a bench mark recording for the group.
They released Real Faith soon after, and while it was a nice release, it wasn't near the quality of It's So God. The vocals felt a bit too over processed on several cuts, and the song selection just wasn't there. Brian Free & Assurance is now releasing Worth It - another release that fails to live up to It's So God. It feels as if everything that felt forced and contrived on the last record has been increased on this album.
The album kicks off with the acappella arrangement of "There Is a Kingdom" - and the processing has gone into overdrive. It feels as if the vocals were recorded straight into the auto-tuner - and the magic and gifting of the natural voice is all but lost. This is also seen on cuts like "Die Another Day," "I Am Redeemed," and "Worth It." The stacks are also too much on cuts like "Preaching to the Choir," "When the Mountains Will Not Move," and "Not One."
That's not to say that this record is bad. On the contrary - Worth It is chock full of killer songs - "Not One," "Die Another Day," "You Must Have Met Him," "A New Thing," and "When the Mountains Will Not Move" are all fantastically written and arranged. The horn arrangements on several tunes really take the record up a notch. Bill Shivers also remains the Southern Gospel community's most under-appreciated lead vocalist.
Overall, Worth It is another fine record from Brian Free & Assurance. This reviewer wishes the group would abandon such heavy vocal processing and stacking. Obviously it's working for the group, or else they wouldn't keep making records like this. It's So God remains my favorite Brian Free & Assurance release, and so far they've yet to top it.
Author: Chris D. Unthank
| Author's Website: http://southernspin.com
Written: 09/02/2009
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Category: CD Reviews
Comments: 7
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I would have to agree with this review. I still listen to the It's so God album all the time, and this album doesn't come close to that at all. It is okay but has not really been back in the cd player or replayed on my ipod since the first time I listened. The only song on the cd that I dislike is preaching to the choir.
What dissapoints me the most of Brian Free & Assurance's Real Faith and Worth It projects is that the synchronization and perfection is cheesy and makes them sound really bad in concert. Most of the time a fan will expect a group to sound in concert the way they do on the cd. With Brian Free & Assurance, you get major disappointment. I so would appreciate it if they went back to the "So Close to Home" and "It's So God" days.
I think 3, 1/2 stars is totally unfair, given the stellar song selection and brilliant arrangements and harmonies.
"well, not really, this is Chris Unthank we're talking about."
LOL. Ouch.
Brian Free And Assurance remain a top notch quartet. Though I have never seen them live (I hope to soon) There is no doubt in my mind that they will bring the spirit with their voices and performance.
come on man 3 1/2 stars to BF&A and look at some of the other people that have more...this is ridiculous and for some of you people that are calling the vocals "overprocessed" welcome to 2010...it is used for more of an effect...lets see u go toe to toe with anyone of these guys vocally...oh yeah
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