Love Is Live!

1	The Battles 5:21
2	He Made a Way 4:15
3	I Praise God 4:05
4	Thank You, You Died for Me 6:37
5	You Have Been Right There 5:04
6	Wait on God 4:43
7	I'm a Newborn Soul 5:10
8	Lord Do It 7:55
9	Praise Break (The Ma-Shon-Da) (Let the Church Be the Church) 7:23
10	Lord Lift Me Up 6:30
11	Let Go, O Let God 4:16
12	Lamb of God 4:53

Barnes & Noble

Some gospel artists specialize in haunting melodies and delicate arrangements. Hip-hop minister Hezekiah Walker and his Love Fellowship Tabernacle Choir, however, believe that the Lord should be praised with as much righteous thunder as possible. And there's no better example of this resounding worship than Walker's latest live disc, Love Is Live, which captures the mass choir in all of its joyful noisemaking. In particular, "The Battle" and "He Made a Way" showcase the choir's energetic, spirit-rousing style, which is backed by high-powered beats and shimmering synthesizer textures. On "Praise Break (The Ma-Shon-Da!)," the Love Fellowship break into a traditional praise-and-worship workout, with a few playful twists thrown in for good measure. Meanwhile, "Lord Lift Me Up" opens as an old-school hymn and then shifts into high, foot-stompin' gear. After a few spins of this uplifting disc, even the most introverted listener will be inspired to shout "Amen!" Tony Green

All Music Guide

If this wild, energetic Sunday morning tour de force from Brooklyn's Love Fellowship Tabernacle doesn't get you feeling spiritual (or at least a bit giddy), not much will. The arrangements of these mostly upbeat handclappers are unique in the way they balance the men's and women's choirs for certain emotional emphases, but there are also standout solo performances by Denise Heyward ("You Have Been Right There") and Kirvy Brown ("Lord Do It"). These songs all feature familiar upbeat themes about grace and redemption, but the power of these voices brings fresh emotion, which makes every word a unique revelation. Most gospel choir albums go from vocal to vocal, but any regular churchgoer knows sometimes the most musical fun comes from the band just riffing (organ in the crazy lead, of course). The title "Praise Break" sounds kind of quiet, but it's a wild jam that blends rock and R&B/gospel in a swirling circus of sounds. A lot of gospel choir recordings sound the same, but this one stands out brilliantly from the pack with an energy that just doesn't let up. Jonathan Widran