“It’s gonna get better for me…” is what I/we need as a guiding light in this seemingly unending darkness. Those words and concomitant melody can be found on the lead single which is also the title of the latest project from Rev. Luther Barnes and the Restoration Worship Center Choir Look To The Hills on Shanachie Entertainment.
“Look To The Hills”(the single) is sounding just as impactful and anthemic as the ministry in song “God’s Grace”(a big hit for Barnes a few years back) which if you’ve ever been in any service where this song has been played you feel that you’ve already received the word and the benediction would not be out of order.
Look To The Hills provides the listener with an experience that supplies many of the styles that come under the auspices of Black Gospel Music. From the aforementioned Praise and Worship tinged “Look To The Hills”, to the Steviesque funk of “I Love Him”, the classic 90’s style of “Lord Give Us Time” and the nod to the institution of the Quartet Sound with “Thank You For What You’ve Already Done”. This listener fully embraces the tried and true adage of stating that there really is something for everyone in this set of music.
There would be no way for me to even consider this review remotely complete without mentioning that one of the biggest takeaways for me is the well crafted songs contained herein. Far too often I feel that we listen to far more productions than actual songs. A production without a song is like a beautiful house with a lot of bells and whistles but no foundation. You can’t stay in that home for long because eventually the it will sink.
To illustrate it further, productions are made and last for a moment. You enjoy them at the time, but as time marches on you really can’t return to them. Look To The Hills from Rev. Luther Barnes and the Restoration Worship Center Choir doesn’t suffer from the impediment of all production and no songs. No, quite to the contrary these songs have been produced with masterful care and will be ones that you will be listening to for years to come.
Look To The Hills from Rev. Luther Barnes and the Restoration Worship Center Choir out now!
Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
