Jesus Is Born

Sunday Service Choir - Jesus Is Born

Kanye West is not on this album, BUT this is the choir featured on his latest album “Jesus is King” and in his Sunday Services. This album is a rousing series of remakes and covers of popular gospel and mainstream songs sprinkled with a City of Refuge/Kanye West flavor. Inspiring and emotional choir vocals on songs that range from very traditional gospel, to jazz, acapella, rap, to go-go mixed with an urban energy that makes you groove. Talk about RISKY! This Gospel choir cover songs by such artists as Sia, Kanye West, Ginuwine, Sounds of Blackness, SWV, Lamar Campbell, Clark Sisters, Hezekiah Walker, Richard Smallwood, and more! RIYL: Tye Tribbett & G.A., Kirk Franklin, Anthony Brown, Kanye’s Jesus is King. Fave tracks: 3, 4, 6, 8. NO FCCs. Reviewed by Kesha of Lift Jesus Higher!

5:28 - Count Your Blessings: piano and choir vocals. Great range and unified sound - the sopranos kill the chorus “oh!” Cover of Timothy Wright choir’s original song.
3:29 - Remake of Richard Smallwood’s Oh Lord, How Excellent feat. just organ and choir vocals. Slow, emotional, gospel choir worship ballad.
*5:33 - Starts with a bit of chatter and praise from the choir leader and members. Cover of Steven Hurd song. Slow, emotional, gospel choir worship ballad. Mostly features just piano and vocals then midway through the horns, drums, and bass add to the drama! Fun accent on the chorus! Hey!
**4:48 - Nice jazzy electric guitar and trumpet intro. Slow tempo with jazzy piano and light percussion. Cover of SWV song “Rain.” Tenors tear it up and break it down ¾ into the song!
2:08 - Classic organ, jazzy remake of Karen Clark Sheard’s classic “Balm in Gilead.” Powerful vocals. Slow/med tempo. In addition to the organ there are hand claps. Sopranos tear it up!
*5:52 - Spoken intro about the names of God by the choir director. Starts like a slow acapella choir ballad then comes the REMIX!!! A male soloist leads a combo remix of Kanye West’s song and the original sample by the Barnes family. Song becomes an upbeat, danceable, go-go beat with plenty of horns and percussion.
7:02 - Starts with bass guitar and nice keyboard intro, med tempo ballad, then becomes a hand clappin’, foot stompin’ gospel jam. Choir director sings male vocal solo call and response section. Cover of Kanye West’s song “Fade” feat. Post Malone and Ty Dolla $ign
3:21 - Classic organ sustained sounds, a cover of Kanye West’s “Ultralight Beam” minus Kirk and Chance the Rapper,
7:48 - simple piano and repetitive lyrics, yet unpredictably/syncopated choir vocals during the verses. Song has many different levels and breakdowns. Med tempo, upbeat. Song is a cover of Sia’s “Elastic Heart.”
6:54 - Remake of Lamar Campbell’s timeless choir classic “More Than Anything.” Starts as a slow worship ballad with simple percussion, keyboard, and piano accompaniment. Crescendos to a more intense percussion dominant, driving, ending.
*3:06 - Cover of SWV’s “Weak” starts with soft horns and organs and alto/soprano vocals. Slow R&B/choir groove. Second half of the song moves into go-go beat.
4:43 - Most traditional sounding gospel choir arrangement on the album. Piano dominant, med/fast tempo. Cover of the Joubert Singers “Stand on the Word” and Hezekiah Walker’s “Power Belongs to God.”
4:14 - Funky groove, reminiscent of Stevie Wonder style. Med/Fast tempo. Cover of Clark Sisters “You Brought the Sunshine,” Rousing female vocal lead.
3:19 - Starts out with a riveting acapella rendition of Sounds of Blackness “Back to Life” and then ...the BEAT DROPS and it becomes a thumpin’ cover of that popular song.
3:59 - R&B flavored groove cover of Ginuwine’s “So Anxious.”
1:38 - Complex rhythm, upbeat interlude, strong bass line, simple lyrics. Jazzy groove.
4:13 - Latin horns, dramatic intro. Dramatic piano and vocals. Slow tempo.
3:23 - Traditional rendition of this Negro Spiritual! Acapella intro. Great female vocal.
3:15 - Cover of Richard Smallwood’s classic “Total Praise” Slow, worshipful feel.