Customer Reviews

Testimony

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, let me first start off by saying that I think this is Virtue's best CD. It's like a contempory praise and worship album. It has something for the young and mature in Christ and for the young and old in age.

I love the song "123 Praise!" that exhorts you to praise the Lord. I love the beat for the song. Then I like "Thank You Jesus" because of the creativity when it starts off with the phone conversation. I loved the way they mixed the conversation into the music.

I even like the song "Get Up". It's an old school type of song, but it's good. It gets you clapping and wanting to "get up" to praise the Lord. I can tell they had some fun with this song, especially when the lead singer told the other singer to hold a long high note until she tells her to stop. Then the other singer started singing but when she stopped, the lead singer said "...I didn't say let it go!" I thought that was funny.

Then on the next track, which is called "Praises to You", flows into a genuine worship song with Martha Munizzi with a reprise to follow it. This was the song that made this a perfect album for me, because I love true worship music. I'm sure a lot of Christians that are maturing would probably like this one. Then they do another nice worship song called "Holy Holy" to keep it going.

All the songs on the albums are good, I like the song "Down With It". It's a fun song to play in the car and to keep me going and focused on Christ at work.

The new Dark Child Gospel label along with Integrity Gospel did a good job on this album. I'm glad Virtue decided to keep working with Uncle Freddy, because this album is truly wonderful for contemporary gospel.

Excellent album! This is just the kind of album I like. It clearly speaks about Jesus, but the musical arrangements are modern and lean more towards R & B. I'm listening to it right now. I actually got fixated on Tack # 1. I had to put it on repeat. I would strongly recommend investing in this album. As for me, Virtue is now officially my favorite Female Gospel Group. Fortitude wins out for Best Male Gospel Group.

it's about time virtue come back on the scene and they came at a good time. if you are a fan of comtemporary gospel then this is an album you must add to your collection. I'm listening to this album right now it's really good. It's like as if they know what many people are going through becuase these songs are so down to earth. it doesnt get overly preachy but it's not soooo comtemporary that you cant tell that it's gospel. this is especially a good album for youth to get. yes youth, gospel can be fun to.

best songs-FOLLOW ME, HOLY HOLY, 123 praise, thank you jesus.

I'm not sure how to characterize this new Virtue album. They certainly got the Darkchild treatment on this outing, for better or for worse.

Darkchild is okay, but their songs always have an over-produced, tin can, electronic, synth sound, which can get old fast. One song here and there on an artist's album is okay, but for a whole album to sound this way is just over-the-top. I love Virtue, but often times on this album they sound like they are beating the music back with a stick. Other times they sound a bit shrill as they sing over the synthetic bleeps and claps. Jerkins's music (either Rodney's or Freddie's) can deluge the vocalist who is trying to sing over such overbearing arrangements.

Overall, I don't think there are enough tight harmonies on this album, which were the trademarks of Virtue's first two albums. Even if their material was not that good, their harmonies always made up for it. The Trotter sisters, Ebony, Karima, and Heather, have beautiful and powerful voices to start with, so why mess it up by computerizing their vocals only to make them sound like those new-school R&B chicks that can't carry a tune in a bucket?

The crunk-n-b flavored "123 Praise" f/T-Bone just missed being a favorite, because the song goes on a little too long and languishes at the end with Karima's attempts to find various ways of singing "1-2-3 Praise!" She starts out with "1-2-that's-2, 2-2-that's-3," tries "3-2-1 Praise!" and then finally gives us a Spanish lesson and calls it a day.

Compared to their previous efforts, I rank this album behind Free, which to me was their breakthrough album as far as vocal maturity and expression. Testimony is contemporary to be sure. It's not as worshipful as their other work, but it certainly may catapult them into the forefront of the ever progressing contemporary gospel music industry.

***And on a side note, I'm just not feeling the cover art either. The stained glass look and the unsmiling faces are not working for me...

Favorite Picks:
"Testimony" Ebony sings the chorus with a light airy vocal quality. Very nice.
"The Sky Is The Limit" Contains the same chorus lyrics as Kiki's "Have What You Want"
"Thank You Jesus" Reminds me of an R. Kelly joint.
"Fall Again" Beautiful lead piano.
"Nothing Ever Mattered" A clumsy love song, but kind of cute.

Testimony is the sixth release for Virtue, following a maternity break for two of the three sisters. Having been around since 1994, this outfit has moved a long way on from their New Jill Swing beginnings. And, rest assured, Testimony exudes the sonic and spiritual strength and maturity that such longevity should bring.

It all kicks off pleasantly enough with the pacy shuffle of `Follow Me'. The title track, `The Sky is the Limit' and `Thank You Jesus' is a la Destiny's Child (though musically heavier/busier and vocally they are no Destiny's Child!). Generally Testimony's production is sound, an up-to date vibe skillfully executed by musicians (keyboard/piano work is excellent) though I wish the vocals could have stood out a little more in some tracks.

The outstanding `Give Him The Praises', `Praises To You' and the perfectly spacious `Fall Again' are doubtlessly the ones that will make it into your mp3 favourites folder - and stay there for a while. Here the sisters show this is the sound they are comfortable with. Also the worship tracks are genuine, easy to sing while retaining the modern gospel touch.

Unfortunately Testimony includes a couple of questionable album-fillers; `123-Praise!' comes across as a genre too far beyond their comfort zone and the trad-gospel studio-contrived `Get Up' is an unnecessary obstruction to the flow of the album. But those niggles aside Testimony is solid enough to merit a space on your CD tower (remember those!).

I love this CD! My three nieces (9-11 yrs old) ask me to put it in the CD player every time we get in the car. Most of the songs are upbeat and all the songs help you connect spiritually. Wish I had bought it when it first came out.

These wonderful ladies did a perfect job! From the first song to the last I loved it. My favorites are "Follow Me", "Testimony", "Sky is the Limit", and "Nothing Ever Mattered". Great music!

This CD is now wore out because I played it over and over again when I first got it.
The best songs are Follow Me, The Sky is the Limit, Fall Again - WARNING: it will make you cry, Nothing Ever Mattered. The music is just beautiful and moving and the voices,... well you know these sisters have voices that are amazing. The harmonies are really worth admiring. You won't regret this purchase and since it seems that they may be broke up for good,... it may be the last one we will get.

I've been a extreme fan since almost the beginning. Each album you can see growth. Here is no exception. Karima's vocals/ad-libs rival any R&B/Soul/Pop/Gospel now. The only problem I find is that they are starting make them into a Destiny's Child clone instead of letting them be themselves. When I say Destiny's Child clone I mean in DC3 Kelly sang first then Beyonce then Michelle. It was like that on almost every song but now they've shifted the formula onto Virtue (Heather, Karima then Ebony). Each singer here unlike Destiny's Child CAN sing! Karima is my fav but Ebony's voice is seriously growing on me. Anyway each song is great in it's own way.

These are my favs in order: Nothing Ever Mattered, Testimony, The Sky Is The Limit, Thank You Jesus, Down With It, Give Him The Praises, Praises To You (Reprise), Fall Again, Get Up.

Virtue is a nice group but my only concern is what happen to the girls negelle and shavonn? that new girl heather looks a bit like tyra banks don't you think? well i haven't heard how they sound with her yet but i'm sure they sound great. I like this group alot because their songs are so beautiful and uplifting and refreshing. unlike alot of groups that are no longer together these girls still are. to me, they are like the gospel version of destinys child. buy this cd. i know im going to!