Dave Hollister (Witness Protection ) - Reviews

Dave Hollister
Witness Protection

Dave Hollister startled many when he made a permanent switch to Gospel. He opened a window into his life with the candid Songs of David - Vol 1, The Transition, and is now back with Witness Protection, an album geared towards encouraging the body of Christ, complete with several songs of worship.

Hollister's 24-year-old cousin, Jevon Hill, serves as the album's primary producer with additional assistance from brother-in-law Jessie Wright, Jr. and Marcus "Da Heatmizer" Devine.

Album highlights are many. "Don't Stop" is an old school slow jam, the kind that Hollister is known for. He uses the song to admonish people to press through those discouraging moments in life.

"Look Up", is a moving ballad, inspired by the loss of Hollister's pastor, Jesse Wright Sr. With passionate vocals accented by live instrumentation (courtesy of Jesse Wright Jr., Jonathan Dubose and Brendan Conner, II), you'll be putting a star beside it.

Hollister delivers an easy listening number with "Bless Me" (written by Hill), and expresses his desire for greater intimacy with God on "Secret Place". The Nashville String Machine weaves its orchestration throughout to bring out even more beauty.

Conversations will be sparked and nerves will be struck with one listen to the neo-soul ditty, "Church". Hollister explains that he used to let anything stop him from going to church (people's lifestyles, his clothes or even the preacher), but that things are different now. Check the lyrics to the chorus:

"Don't care how the preacher spends all the money. Don't care if the choir director is funny. The only thing that matters is my business with the Lord."

The lead single "Striving" is a catchy, hand-clapping song that only gets better as it progresses. Don't miss the interpolation of JoJo's "Leave" towards the song's end.

Witness Protection

Click on this image for your audio-digital Flash card experience

Got Flash? Turn up your computer audio and check out the latest in our series of audio-digital animated Flash cards. Click on the above image to experience the CD.

You need Flash 8 software to see the Flash card. If your computer does not have it installed, get the free download by clicking on the adjacent Flash icon.

Get up and dance with the upbeat "Glow", a song encouraging believers to be light to a lost world. "More of You" is vertical in lyrics and is carried by its funky live instrumentation.

"You Are" is a beautiful song of adoration and will surely be sung in churches, with its simple lyrics and musical arrangements. The intensity of worship picks up with "Just Worship". With its simple chorus, Hollister leads people into the presence of God.

Call Witness Protection a success for Dave Hollister on all fronts. Kudos to the production prowess of Jevon Hill, for the end result is an album that reveals the artist as both a worshipper and an encourager.

Email This To A Friend

Production: Various album release date: August 5, 2008
Zomba Gospel

— reviewed by Dwayne Lacy —