Ben Harper And The Blind Boys Of Alabama — There Will Be A Light

On his latest disc, Ben Harper teams up with The Blind Boys Of Alabama, a southern gospel group who’ve been around since 1939, to create an album full of gospel numbers. The album is a refreshing departure from Harper’s previous efforts, which have tended to be less than exciting affairs. With several songs mentioning Jesus, much of this album would feel at home in a Mississippi church — the a cappella "Mothers Pray," could easily be heard at a Sunday sermon. The disc is helped immensely by the Blind Boys, whose actual gospel roots, bring a depth and experience that Harper doesn’t posses, with Ben’s familiar falsetto vocal flutters often distracting from the Blind Boys’ soulful melodies. Hearing Harper try his hand at gospel is a welcome change, but in the end it’s the Blind Boys and a cover of  "Satisfied Mind," that make this record worth listening to.

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