Album: A Mighty Wind
Artist: Andrae Crouch
Label: Slave/Verity
Sounds like: Kirk Franklin, Crystal Lewis

No, the title refers not to the results of too much spicy food, but to the coming of the Holy Spirit, and, one assumes, to the force whipped up in the recording of this album. While groovily smooth, it percolates with brassy, jazzy soul and chewy funk, and even Latin touches. There’s a timeless quality to the recording, as in ignoring any contemporary trends. It could have been recorded in 1976 or 1996. The legendary Crouch has an iconic soul voice, but like Kirk Franklin, Crouch as often as not acts simply as conductor for a gospel choir that purrs and explodes, but mostly avoids Franklin’s flirtations with rap and other more modern styles. It’s not at the cutting edge of modern worship, but Crouch stands at the epicentre of Gospel.

Nicks rating: 3/5