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 Crossroads —Deitrick Haddon  Newly rooted in Tampa, Florida, together with his wife Damita (as youth pastors for Without Walls International Church, pastored by Paula White), Haddon succeeds in transferring the intangible 'freshness' of his new situation onto disc.Plenty are the star cuts on this 20-track project, starting with the title cut, "Crossroads", which Haddon elegantly uses to frame the spiritual theme to the album. Rapper Lady Life (aka Natalie Simms) add her flow to this marvelously-bumped offering. "Had Not Been" has Haddon reuniting with Rev. Rance Allen on a funky celebration crammed with ad lib vocals between the two vocal powerhouses, helped by plenty of guitar and simmering, steamy organ underpinnings from Steven Howell. "God Is Good" features both Deitrick and Damita on vocals, jamming gloriously over a track from Ralph Kearns. Producer Roy Hamilton spices up "It's Over Now", adding some distinctive light piano ripples over the short beat motif that repeats continually throughout the lyrics that tell of the relief and comfort that Jesus brings. Haddon joins his own stacked backing vocals on this sunny cut.  "God Didn't Give Up" is a welcome song, bring up an issue too often neglected in song —that of the church freely offering up mercy and grace to others. Sweet brass and a hefty instrumental track (including flute and sax from Donald Hayes) feed the composition.The Without Walls International Church M.V.P. Youth Choir steps in behind Haddon on "Amen", written jointly by Haddon and Cordell Walton. The song's simple melody and fairly simple musical structure is used to maximum advantage, creating almost instant memory stick. It recalls some fabulous aural memories of Haddon's first ever choir project from 1995, Come Into This House, where he sang with the enthusiastic Voices of Unity. Strings soften "Trusting God" into a groovy ballad, "Prayer Changes Things" is an old-school, acappella, harmony-based, street-corner jam (complete with claps and stomps) and Haddon appeals to all his "island people" on the reggae beat embedded "Happy". Crossroads is as fresh a project as you'll find in 2004, infused with deep soul, an abundance of grooves and Haddon's edifying message.
Email This To A Friend Verity Records — reviewed by Stan North —
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