Devotion

Aaron Neville

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 26, 2000)
• Original Release Date: September 26, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Chordant
• ASIN: B00004WJAC
• Also Available in: DVD Audio  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #108,697 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Aaron Neville is one of the only singers alive with a voice soulful, strong, and emotionally pure enough to warrant comparisons to Sam Cooke--easy to understand upon hearing his new gospel-oriented collection, "Devotion." With an intensity you just don't hear enough of, he tackles some of the great songs of the genre, such as "Mary Don't You Weep" and "Banks of the River Jordan." Those songs share space with a few originals, as well as ingeniously sung covers of pop standards such as "I Shall Be Released," "Bridge over Troubled Water," and "Morning Has Broken"--all done in the stirring, tuneful way that only Aaron Neville can achieve. As is the case these days on almost any solo recording by a performer over the age of 20, there are guest stars: able-voiced brother Ivan is on here, while adult contemporary act Avalon and diva wannabe Rachel Lampa attempt, admirably, to hold their own with the great singer. Okay, it's gonna sound clichéd, but this record really is as rock solid as its message of faith. --Mike McGonigal

From CCM Magazine -- Subscribe Now!
If the Neville Brothers' music is like a big Thanksgiving meal-flavorful, plate-filling and home-cooked-then Aaron Neville is the gravy, the smooth and tasty finishing touch. On Devotion, he steps forward to sing about the faith that has privately carried him.

Neville goes old school with mellow four-part quartet renditions of gospel classics like "Mary Don't You Weep," "Banks of the River Jordan" and "Were You There." Other covers include surprisingly straightforward takes on the retro classics "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and Cat Stevens' "Morning Has Broken."

Neville imparts a few originals like the soaring ballad "There Is Still a Dream," a duet featuring his rather curious pairing with the vocal wünderkind Rachel Lampa, as well as his own very adult contemporary perspective on "What Would Jesus Do?" Other than the rather forced sounding spoken word testimonial, "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine," Neville's disarming approach and cuddly vocals somehow make bearable even the songs that are destined for the Billboard adult contemporary charts ("By Heart, By Soul"). It's tempting to lump this project in with the rest of the big-time-mainstream-artist-stops-in-to-reassure-their-childhood-church-family-that-they-haven't-forgotten montages that come out occasionally. One of the moments that makes Devotion nearly critic-proof is Neville's absolutely perfect, remarkably special version of "Jesus Loves Me."

No pandering to be found here, only a reminder of the greatness of Aaron Neville's iconic voice and the depth of his feelings for God. -- Anthony Barr-Jeffrey (c) 2000 CCM Communications, Inc.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Congratulations and Thank You Aaron, October 3, 2000

By	Jawara K Lumumba (Capitol Hgt, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews

Since hearing Aaron sing the Lord's Prayer on an earlier disc I have longed for him to do a full complement of spiritual music. Here the Brother has done just that. In scanning the titles I knew that I would be in for a sensational and uplifting musical journey; I was absolutely right! On the Lord's Prayer Aaron confirmed that God has endowed him with an incomparable musical instrument --his voice. He is a natural musical minister. There is purity and sincerity that confirms that he is speaking from his soul. The entire disc has a striking transformational impact for me. On a day that I find myself spinning in circles " What Would Jesus Do? " shines a radiant light on my pathway forward. -- I have a sense that no matter what one's religious persuasion may be; hearing this divine musical talent will be an unforgettable blessing! Enjoy and be blessed!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Spiritual Surround, August 26, 2001

By	"surroundguy" (Peripatetic) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aaron Neville - Devotion (DVD Audio) (DVD Audio)

This was one of the first DVD-Audios released, and although there is also a CD of this available, I believe this remains one of the only DVD-Audios recorded from the start with surround in mind. Neville's famous voice (especially his well developed falsetto) is in fine shape here. The words and music on Devotion are entirely spiritual, and while I am not at all religious, the emotional sincerity of these mostly gospel selections pack an undeniable impact and I enjoyed hearing this soulful music. The high resolution DVD-Audio sound is excellent, and the use of the surround channels (such as placing backing vocals in the rear) is appropriate and effective. As you listen, slides relating to the spiritual content steadily change as the music progresses, making use of DVD-Audio's visual capabilities beyond some other pop DVD-Audios I've experienced. There are also some video extras that may be more suitable only for truly dedicated Neville fans, but some will certainly savor these. An extra I have not seen before is an "Artist Commentary," where, for each piece, Neville mentions his connection to the music, what it means to him personally, etc. This is an excellent idea, and I would hope other DVD-Audios will start to also do this. There are even other extras explaining DVD-Audio, home speaker setup, etc. If you are a Neville fan, or if you are interested in DVD-Audio surround sound, or if you care about the spiritual message here, I think you should definitely check out Devotion. Overall, this is one of the best produced DVD-Audios I've encountered so far. It's interesting that small labels (like Silverline and Starkland) are turning out DVD-Audios that are better and more sophisticated than what the major labels are doing.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It Doesn't Get Much Better Than This!, October 27, 2000

By	James M. Loveday "Mike Loveday" (Bastrop, Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am sitting at my computer listening to one of the new "jewels" in my CD collection! Aaron has a voice that reaches out, grabs you, and takes you into his heart. This may be the most personal release he has ever done. We got a sneak preview of this on his "To Make Me Who I Am" release, but on Devotion, he bares his soul. The second track, "Jesus Is A Friend Of Mine" has Aaron giving testimony of his own journey and the highs and lows of his life. My favorite cut on this CD is "Banks Of The River Jordan". Gospel soul at its very finest! If you need a little "pick me up", buy this CD and let Aaron Neville share with you where his hope comes from!