Description
We Don’t Get What We Deserve is the third studio album by the British electronic dance music combo The World Wide Message Tribe, independently released in the UK on Movation in 1995, marketed and distributed by Alliance Music. Released on Warner Alliance in the US February the following year, a division of Warner Bros. Records, a Time Warner Company. The album was produced and mixed by Zarc Porter at Perfect Music Studios in Manchester, England.
After a whirlwind year of activities, the World Wide Message Tribe returns triumphantly with clearly the best album released so far in the ever-expanding world of sanctified dance! On their previous recordings, the Tribe has continually pushed the creative and artistic boundaries of Christian dance, moving into a position where their songs can compete with the material that gets played in Europe’s charts. On ‘We Don’t Get What We Deserve’ this hard work is starting to bear fruit. It’s an album that covers a multitude of styles, ranging from jungle in «Rain (Set Me Free)», hip hop in «We Talk To The Lord», Euro pop in «Nobody Knows» and ambient in «Re:Revival». The album even opens with Winston Churchill saying, “Let us allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing!” The opening track «Revolution» is an absolute gem, begging for chart success. It combines a 1995 sound with the various elements that have proven to be so successful in the past: heaving grooves, the raunchy rapping of The Heavyfoot, and a melodic sing-a-long chorus sung by Sani and Elaine Hanley. «Rain» is a well produced standard rap track that will definitely be a new class room favourite in Manchester’s schools, featuring some wonderful vocal improvisations between The Heavyfoot and Sani. «Re:Revival» features parts of a testimony by Duncan Campbell about the revival he witnessed in 1949 on the Scottish Hebridean islands. His monotonous, yet con recount of God’s powerful work is backed by a grooving instrumental written and performed by Zarc Porter. “So real, so wonderful was this sense of God” is Campbell’s (repeated) statement in this captivating testimony. «Sweet Salvation» is another highlight with an intense groove, kind of a duet between Elaine and Sani. «Everybody Knows» is quite a surprise, as it covers new musical ground with a very poppy approach, although some of Zarc Porter’s signature dance sounds are still prevalent. It’s a haunting track, in a way similar to some of the things the Newsboys have done on their most recent recordings. The strong lyrics speak of the End Times. “Mountains fall and people call/ To their Maker to spare them the darkness of their seperation.” The simple, compelling guitar work by Max leads the song to an emotional climax. «We Don’t Get What We Deserve», a raw rap track, contains some of the funniest evangelistic jargon I’ve read in my life: “Did my very best did a diddle on the test/ Dibbin’ in the dumper down with the rest/ Zip dab dub I deserve to die/ Livin’ in a lake where the land is dry/ Amazing grace how sweet the sound/ Gained a million and I paid a pound.” Before the album closes with three massive remixes the speed slows down with «There Is A Green Hill» a contemporary version of the old hymn, lyrically and musically not unlike «The Cross» of the Tribe’s first alburn. The World Wide Message Tribe has struggled to record this album, but the wonderful blend of their various talents has produced a recording that is totally relevant and able to communciate the Christian message to today’s youth. [Jan Willem Vink, Cross Rhythms, August 1995]
World Wide Message Tribe, the British dance act responsible for «On My Way to Zion» and the recent hit «Peace», makes its major label debut with ‘We Don’t Get What We Deserve’. With nine songs and three remixes, there’s plenty here to satisfy those looking for mainstream-quality dance tunes with positive lyrics.
The album’s best features are its authentic, strong beats. Elaine Hanley and Sani’s bold, soulful voices are best used on «Sweet Salvation» (a techno jam that’s attracted positive notice in ‘Billboard’) and the cut «I’ll Always Believe in You». Other highlights include «There is a Green Hill», a shuffling beat reinterpretation of the hymn about the Crucifixtion. Tribe member Mark Pennells both speaks and sings on «Nobody Knows», a mid-tempo track that, though not as danceable as other cuts, is one of the album’s best.
Unfortunately, there is a downside – Andy Hawthorne’s growling rap voice, which dominates several songs. Potentially cool tunes are somewhat marred by this – the title track, «Revolution» and «We Talk to the Lord» (which, despite the rap, is still very catchy).
Lyrically, WWMT deals with matters of faith simply and directly, not compromising its presentation of Christ’s love for the sake of airplay. The group makes it clear that its main goal is to evangelize school children – not to become big stars. Manchester has given the Tribe a unique opportunity to work within the schools and the group’s music and lyrics seem perfectly suited for it.
More singing and less rapping next time should leave listeners more than satisfied and help the group live up to the “world wide” part of its name. [Beau Black, CCM, June 1996]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/we-dont-get-what-we-deserve/1785996783)
CD tracklist:
01. Revolution – 3:39
02. Rain (Set Me Free) – 3:27
03. We Talk To The Lord (Buddy Riches 2 Rags Dub) – 2:45
04. Re: Revival – 3:58
05. Sweet Salvation – 3:22
06. Nobody Knows (Out Of Fashion Edit) – 5:19
07. We Don’t Get What We Deserve – 2:56
08. I’ll Always Believe In You – 4:04
09. There Is A Green Hill (Parsley Sage Rosemary + Thyme Edit) – 4:44
10. Revolution (Loopy Leslie Mix) – 4:57
11. Re: Revival (Extended Trance Mix) – 6:01
12. Sweet Salvation (Fire & Water Baby Mix) – 5:39
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Movation.
A full-page advertisement for The World Wide Message Tribe’s We Don’t Get What We Deserve was featured in the February 1996 issue of CCM Magazine.
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