 Music Reviews
Thousands of undiscovered Christian musicians are hard at work, all in the hope that their original music will reach and minister to an audience of believers UMC.org rewards the independent spirit by providing a means for new music to be exposed Each month, UMC.org reviews two full-length CDs of Christian-themed music created by indie artists. Learn more about this feature and how to submit a CD for review. Learn more about this feature and how to submit a CD for review. Jus-B-Cuz: It Still Remains Label: Alpha 7 Ministries
Sound/Style: Vibrant vocals over a rich mix of R&B, jazz and gospel By Steve Morley (UMCom) -- Don’t let the playful spelling of their name or the soft pink color scheme of their CD fool you. California’s Jus-B-Cuz is a vocal tower of gospel power. On their debut release It Still Remains, the sisters Gillette loudly proclaim their reliance upon Jesus, and they don’t stop there. Preacher’s kids and chips off the old block, the three forcefully tell the truth to anyone within earshot. Throughout the disc, the siblings take turns testifying both in spontaneous musical bursts and spoken-word passages, providing potent moments of inspiration. Individual faith statements reside alongside songs that are more sermonesque. But the personal “Change Me” remembers the listener in the line “don’t think that what you’re going through is happening only to you.” While their declarative, message-oriented approach is strictly old-school gospel, their musical style isn’t as easily defined. They tune into today’s hip-hop wave on the angular, aggressive beat of “War,” an exhortation not to take spiritual opposition lightly, and the haunting, Arabic-tinged “Balm In Gilead,” which offers encouragement despite its no-illusions admission that “this is gonna be a bumpy ride.” “Gilead” typifies producer Derrick Hall’s many-faceted arrangements, which creatively interweave multiple styles. On the song, threads of dub-style reggae and an unexpected injection of sumptuous Stevie Wonder-like chord progressions spice an otherwise hypnotic minor-key loop. Also suggestive of Wonder’s standout mid-‘70s period are the breezy Latin/jazz/pop hybrids “I Sing” and “Jesus Is Coming Soon.” The former is a group statement of purpose, while the latter previews heavenly things to come, restraining its rubbery Brazilian feel just until the angelic trumpets sound. At that point, the full ecstasy of the rhythm is unleashed, creating a powerful, visceral symbol for the joy awaiting the Savior’s return. At the album’s core are a pair of lengthy tracks that form an impassioned centerpiece. “I Need You” is a masterfully unwinding slow jam that reaches its boiling point after almost five minutes with emphatic drum accents and vocal adlibs. “Sacrifice” is virtually two tracks in one, asking and then responding to the question “must Jesus bear the cross alone, and all this sinful world go free?” Nearly four of its six-and-a-half minutes float freely on a bed of piano until morphing into a three-quarter-time section that matter-of-factly reminds believers they have crosses of their own to endure for God’s glory. All three sisters have admirable vocal control and range, but it is in combination that they create the most distinctive effect. Throughout the inventive and soulful It Still Remains, they deftly alternate solo lines, move in fluid unison and erupt into counterpoint, bringing fresh meaning to the book of Ecclesiastes’ assertion that a cord of three strands is not easily broken. Steve Morley is a freelance music journalist living in College Grove, Tenn. This review was developed by UMC.org, the official online ministry of the United Methodist Church.
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