Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Souls' Chapel, the first gospel album from Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, is an attractive listen no matter what your religious persuasion is. While the messages are there, they're not in your face. And they're presented in a rootsy fashion that includes elements of country and the blues. Stuart -- a respected veteran of the country scene's new traditionalist movement who has also delved into honky-tonk, rockabilly and bluegrass in the past -- wrote or co-wrote half of the album's 12 tracks. There are also a few gospel standards and two songs written by "Pops" Staples from The Staples Singers. One of them, Move Along Train, features vocals from Mavis Staples. I haven't attended church on a regular basis for 20 years, but songs like these could draw me in sporadically, at least.

np The Bled - Found In The Flood (Stay away unless you're into that "screamo" stuff.)

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