Wow Gospel 2017
Various Artists
Wow Gospel 2017 reflects the tremendous amount of diversification the genre has undergone in the previous decade. The soul-charging “Chasing Me Down” captures Israel & New Breed’s boundary-breaking blend of funky vocal acrobatics and worship’s rock-based drive. Spellbindingly vulnerable, Jonathan McReynolds’ acoustic heartbreaker “Pressure” crosses over into folk music. The compilation also boasts plenty of traditional stars, including Richard Smallwood, whose “You Brought Me” explodes with timeless, ecstatic emotion reminiscent of the genre’s Southern origins.