Mary Mary

Mary Mary’s The Sound delivers the best of the old and the new. Although it’s not a ‘concept’ album, The Sound uses the context of a radio broadcast as a framing device: a continuing motif that introduces the album and weaves its way through the whole project, often acting as a segue between songs. Erica and Tina, with help from longtime producer and collaborator Warryn Campbell (Erica’s husband), convincingly bring to mind the good-time feeling of the Motown era without getting into parody or nostalgia. More seasoned listeners will recognize elements of Martha and the Vandellas (“The Sound”) and The Jackson 5 (“Boom”), although the overall vibe is upgraded by incorporating elements of hip-hop, a good dose of synth work, electronics, contemporary pop/jazz elements, and strong, sophisticated ballads.

The album’s 45 second introduction is an atmospheric spoken-word piece (Deborah Joy Imani Winans) that defines ‘sound’ in both mechanical and philosophical terms. The somewhat lofty prelude trails off as Winans’ sophisticated narration gives way to an AM radio-friendly voice announcing, “the sound…” and the faint click of drumstick against drumstick counts off the explosive opening of the title track. Incorporating classic Motown horns with a surf-rock refrain, “The Sound” is a three-and-a-half minute party of a song that sounds tailor-made for a summer day, in a convertible, driving down the street on your way to the beach. For a minute I almost thought the next track would be Shirley Ellis singing “The Name Game,” but instead an impressive horn riff sets us up for “Get Up,” a sophisticated pop/jazz/r&b song designed to get you literally and metaphorically up out of your seat.

Getting a bit more urban, with the help of rapper David Banner, “Superfriend” features a very deliberate beat mixed with a big string sound and some electronic percussion kicking the whole thing up a notch. “God in Me” continues with a modern urban-gospel track, heavy with electronics and rhythmic vocal phrasing from Erica and Tina, who generously give up some vocal space to the amazing Kiki Sheard. If the Jackson 5 had recorded the next track it could’ve become one of their biggest hits – “Boom” combines the best of the old and the new, and even flirts, on the chorus, with the dreaded disco yet manages to sound fresh and energetic.

Returning to a more familiar CCM/gospel sound on “I’m Running,” the girls are featured singing about an unabashed desire to get closer to God, with a nicely-placed homage to the worship-song, “As the Deer” thrown in as a musical wink to fans who might’ve been waiting for a bit more ‘church’ on this project. The song still has Warryn Campbell’s wonderful Motown approach in the orchestration as well as some very interesting rhythmic surprises on the drums.

The very well-written ballad, “Forgiven Me,” shows what Erica and Tina can do with a strong, melodic, fully orchestrated song. The girls’ combined vocals on the chorus are smooth and powerful, but it’s their individual vocal phrasing that delivers the chills. If you’re looking for some gospel gravitas, here it is. It’s almost as if “Forgiven Me” signals a shift in the album’s focus to a more introspective, mature, thoughtful direction. By no means does that mean things get saccharine or maudlin, but in the course of some 45 minutes The Sound evolves from the outright fun of the title track to the beautiful, worshipful ballad, “Seattle,” where the girls sing, “Holy Spirit, rain like Seattle / Overtake my life like a flood / Like California, shake what’s not like You / I just want a heart like Yours….”

Seamlessly following “Seattle” is the piano-driven, “I Worship You,” an anthemic song that allows Mary Mary to shine, as the amazing vocalists complement each other as only sisters can. “It Will All Be Worth It,” a powerful ballad that looks forward to The Lord’s return, is reminiscent of Andrae Crouch’s work, and features an amazing array of guest voices – a veritable Gospel Hall of Fame including Eric Dawkins, Andrae, Tramaine Hawkins, Walter Hawkins, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Joe Ligon, Daryl Coley, Karen Clark Sheard, and Rance Allen – contributing individual lines delivered in their own inimitable styles.

To quote from the intro to this CD, “There’s the sound in one’s voice that lets you know just what they feel.” I think that’s what you hear on this last track, and that’s what you’ll hear on this excellent new project by Mary Mary – The Sound.

Tagged as: Mary Mary, The Sound

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