Search - Pastor Hezekiah Walker, LFT Church Choir :: Love is Live!

Hottest Choral Album Of 2001 So Far, But...

A. Benjamin Irby | ContempoGospel Headquarters - [Brooklyn, NY] | 03/26/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Brooklyn, New York - Bensalem, Pennsylvania dual location Pastor Hezekiah Walker is back with the second release from his Brooklyn based, LFT Church Choir. The album was recorded not at the Brooklyn, Love Fellowship Tabernacle as the album cover suggests but at the new Brooklyn Marriott Hotel on Monday, July 3rd, 2000. I like this album as in most ways it's much better than the last but, and is is off the chain but, I have only a two major bones to pick with it. First there's the fact that there is no vocal presence of Pastor Walker anywhere on the album, I mean there is a big ol' picture of him on the cover but no him. The song that the choir recorded with him at the recording was cut from the album along with another led by Heather Covington ["Help Me To Pray"] and another which prominently displayed the church's theme "..Because God is the greatest power, we shall not be defeated." My second major gripe is of something that Love Fellowship albums are known for, especially ones that are by the church choir and are supposed to be taught to other church choirs right?... right. Well answer me this... Why doesn't the album cover contain lyrics to all the songs? When I saw that there were no lyrics I just couldn't believe it! So you ask, what's taken place of the lyrics? Oh, just thank you's from everybody and their mama! The whole LFT Levites band and the directors got thank you space as well as Pastor Walker, who's thanks would have been just fine by themselves. I mean their thank you's are all well and good for Brooklyn folks who know who these people are but, if you're a choir director from Mt. Shiloh Baptist in Tuscaloosa, Mississippi, all you want are the lyrics, thank you very much! Luckily I didn't have much of a problem though, being an ex-LFT member I know all these songs like the back of my hand anyway. Whoo! now that I got that off my chest, I can tell you how hot this album is. The album starts off with the hot studio track "The Battle" with it's groovy split, three part drive. Then there's the upbeat "He Made A Way" and "I Praise God". Then one of the two hottest tracks on the album "Thank You, You Died For Me" with it's dance club-ish baseline, hot trumpet scats, and intro combined with the choirs modulative vocals, this song is off the hook! Then there's the jazzy "You Have Been Right There", led by new LFT soloist Denise Heyward. Then there's, the encouraging "Wait On God", led by LFT Church Choir head director, Craig Wiggins and LFT's cover of the Brooklyn Gospel pioneer's, the Institutional Radio Choir's, upbeat, "I'm A Newborn Soul". Then the album takes a more traditional turn with the rousing "Lord Do It", led by cousin/associate pastor/Crusade Choir soloist, Kirvy Brown with his Rhema Choir, LFT's senior choir [he to' this song up!], then the album continues into the most talked about track on the album "Praise Break [The Ma-shon-da]" [*The "Mashonda" is what Pastor Walker describes as the glory of God], which is a live instrumental by the LFT Levites and is basically seven minutes of shout music with Eld. Kirvy Brown talking over it. To wrap up the Rhema Choir's set is "Lord Lift Me Up", led by Brown and Rhema soloist, Mary Brown. To bring the album to a close is the other hottest two tracks of the album, the latin flavored "Let Go, Let God", by LFT's Shekinah Youth Choir, directed by Bro, Estee Bullock and that last track is the rousing and beautiful "Lamb Of God" by the Tabernacle Choir, I mean, after all it is their album. In all honesty, this album is hot and the best choir album of 2001 so far. Despite it's inconsistencies, there isn't a bad song on it. It's still a must have!"

Why No Lyrics ?

Lillie C. Abbott | Gurnee, Illinois USA | 05/08/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I like the album and immediately wanted to teach A Newborn Soul to my youth choir. I was very disappointed that the song lyrics are not available. I am a very busy professional and director of music at my church. It really saves a lot of time to have the lyrics available. Also, sometimes its difficult to understand what the choir is saying. List the lyrics to your songs on your website."

ALL THE WAY LIVE!!!

angalique30 | 03/29/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"On July 3,2000 at the downtown Brooklyn Marriott, the Lord allowed me the blessing and the great pleasure to witness this live recording and it has continued to bless me when I think about it.Although the wait was long and there were a mass of saints ready to get there praise on it was well worth it as this album will show you. The various church choirs from the baby saints(Shekinah Choir) to the well seasoned saints(Rhema Choir) are truly anointed and truly understand what praise and worship is all about. My favorite song is "A SOUL REBORN" which if you are a Tri-state area saint, you know about Institutional Cogic's Radio Choir who made this song popular and it is probably sung in every church from Harlem World to the Boogie Down Bronx. The Rhema choir to me is the most talented group of mature singers I have ever heard and they simply take it down home and take to CHURCH, CHURCH , CHURCH!The little babies get there praise on with "LET GO AND LET GOD" and the sister on the trumpet has a blazing solo at the end of the song. "WAIT ON GOD" is an excellent song as well. What people who buy the album unfortunately will not experience is the performance of the entire LFCC choir performing "POWER BELONGS TO GOD" Practically every member from the beginning up until the present was there and performed some of there hits(of course Sister Tiff performed "LORD SEND YOUR SPIRIT DOWN" and the First Lady Monique Walker as usual blew up the spot)At one point the lights in the ballroom went out but being more than conquerers will still continued to be moved by the Holy Ghost and dance, dance and dance some more. Although this album may never capture the true spirit of the Lord that was evident that night, it will surely bless you."