Description
I Choose Joy is an album by the American singer and songwriter Larnelle Harris, released on Benson Music Group in 1992. The album was produced by Joe Hogue, except tracks 4, 8 and 9 produced by Lari Goss.
When thinking of great black gospel/R&B-oriented male soloists you think of… Larnelle Harris? That you do think of him that way now sounds to be Harris’ intention, so long as you don’t forget the inspirational foundation upon which he’s built his artistry.
‘I Choose Joy’ acts as Harris’ way of acknowledging the natural progression from his inspirationally majestic sound to the sound of current gospel radio favorites (might Harris have been listening to Daryl Coley and John P. Kee of late?) and beyond, to the median of rhythm-and-blues balladeering. If tapping into this stylistic evolution is his means of broadening his fan base while retaining his original supporters all should go well.
For the more contemporary and beat-inflected tunes, Joe Hogue comes in to produce on the heels of the wonders he’s worked for Angelo & Veronica. The title track and danceable «Take the Time» come closest to capturing the same kind of magic, though «No Place to Be a Child» delivers with an even more foreboding groove and the most poignant lyric here. For a smooth and jumpy choral gospel treat, there’s «It’s Only Thunder». Gospel vamping isn’t quite Harris’ vocabulary yet, but he could get there soon.
Pulling the same kind of vibe into a more urban/inspirational setting, Harris sounds perfectly comfortable in «In a Way that Matters (My Prayer)» and «Pulling Down the Past». Hearing these, it’s not so far a stretch from more trad inspo fare like «There Stands the Cross». Only the faux Caribbean lilt and tri-lingual; kiddie chorus of «Called to Belong to Jesus» push into the cloying.
Only thing Larnelle doesn’t do here that he well could is the kind of incendiary house music Hogue got out of Angelo & Veronica. Next time maybe? In the interim, with Lari Goss handling Harris’ inspirational side, there’s still enough ‘Joy’ to go around. [Jamie Lee Rake, CCM, October 1992]
> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/i-choose-joy/1752182185)
CD tracklist:
01. I Choose Joy
02. It’s Love
03. Take The Time
04. Called To Belong To Jesus
05. Pulling Down The Past
06. It’s Only Thunder
07. No Place To Be A Child
08. In A Way That Matters (My Prayer)
09. There Stands The Cost
10. The Best Is Yet To Come
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Benson Music Group.
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