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  Faith Life As a result of an eventful ministry tour to Uganda in 2000, Slaughter, who is perhaps one of Gospel's most underrated artists, found himself regenerated by God to live and promote a life of faith in Him —regardless of circumstance. Song after song on Faith Life reflects Slaughter's heart for this mission.  Recorded live at Covenant Love Family Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the album boasts 11 songs spread out over 14 tracks, and plays to Slaughter's greatest strength: inviting others to experience the glory of the Gospel with his inviting tenor pipes and vast range of vocal textures and colors. Music director Roger Ryan, together with a crack band crew (including Slaughter's longtime collaborator Bobby Soverall, and also Virgil Stafford, Michael Ripoll, Dana Reed and some choice brass players).The opening cut, "My Joy", is a glorious, upbeat, funk-splashed romp, in which the Covenant Love Family Church Choir matches Slaughter's energy and enthusiasm note for note. With an inspiring spoken-word interlude between the song and it's reprise, the tone for the project is cemented. On "Anything", Slaughter tells of God's omnipotence with the simple line "God can do anything, anything and everything, He can do anything but fail". Punctuated by brass and keyboard punches, Slaughter intersperses his ad lib vocals with the choir's able treatment of the lyrics, directing sectional part singing and interacting with the crowd. "Launch Out" is a ballad from the pen of Keith Laws, with a toned-down vibe courtesy Ryan's sparse orchestration (simple rhythms, keyboard) and the small backing vocal ensemble in support. The resulting sound is the perfect reflective fit to this song's message and Slaughter's theme: "launch out into the deep, let your faith take you somewhere you've never been before". Inspirational and scripturally relevant, the song ends in a slow-building climax that brings in guitar and choir. Praise and worship cuts such as "Worshippers", "When I Praise" and Slaughter's own composition, "Sacrifice of Praise", are set off by Fred Vaughn's expert vocal arrangements, featuring nice alterations between unison and clean harmonies. Other songs to listen for are Slaughter's medley of "This I Know" and "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus", and the atmospheric prayer,"Latter Rain", which showcases Slaughter's ability to convey scriptural truth in vocal melody. The album ends with "Faith Is The Key", a reflective ballad that is a fitting end to a project that serves to energize and inject new life into the faith life.
Email This To A Friend Integrity Gospel — reviewed by Stan North —
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