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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome Anointed Recording!!, February 20, 2003
Byron Cage is best known for his passion for praise and worship. Newly dubbed "The Prince of Praise", this gifted musician and recording artist has blessed the gospel community for years with such songs as Shabach, Yet Praise Him and Jesus Will Fix It. The six-time Stellar Award nominee not only is a recording artist, but a minister, choir director, producer, and actor. Cage has just released this new project. It's his third; his first in six years. His first two projects on AIR Gospel, Dwell Among Us and Transparent In Your Presence, gave us a taste of what this anointed man of God was capable of. But as they say, the third time is a charm and Cage's project is no exception.Recorded live last August in Atlanta at Cage's previous church, New Birth Cathedral, Cage starts off his self-titled CD and Gospo Centric debut with the rousing and uplifting song Magnify Him. Opened by the spirited introduction of his co-pastor, Rev. Dr. Jo Ann Browning of Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington, Maryland, the power of God is evident from the first note. Magnify Him flows smoothly into the churchy, emotive The Presence of the Lord. This song is destined to be sung by praise teams and choirs alike. Cage slows things down with the smooth jazz feel of Psalm 3. The beautiful song, sprinkled with some slick instrumentation, is tinged with a sweet acoustic guitar and a relaxing melody. The song flows seamlessly into the reprise, Thank You For Lifting. Cage's calling to usher others into worship is clearly apparent on this song. It's wonderful to hear the sounds of worship in the live recording and Cage's exhortation to the body of Christ. Another strong track -- already getting airplay -- is the Kurt Carr-penned song There Is A Name. This incredible song reminds us of the power that is in the name of Jesus. Carr, Cage's labelmate, was at the production helm on this CD and he does an exceptional job. The pairing of Cage and Carr works wonderfully. Minister Byron Cage takes us back to a few of his popular tunes with a medley which includes new arrangements of the calypso-sounding The Glory Song, the high-energy Yet Praise Him and the energetic, bouncy Shabach. One very pretty song is What You Are To Me. Sung from the heart of someone totally in love with God, the breathtakingly beautiful ballad sets the tone for the next few songs as the CD moves even further into a deeper sense of worship. Donnie McClurkin lends his song, It Is To You, to Cage's repertoire. The anointed ballad is followed by probably one of the best cuts on the project, Glory To Your Name. For the true worshipper, this song will bring one into the Holy of Holies. Never Too Busy, written by Brent Jones and massaged with notes from a church organ, finds Cage in an improvisational style. The song with a rendition of the popular church anthem Praise Him. The project ends with the hand-clapping tune Still Say Yes, an inspirational song about telling the Lord "yes" no matter the situation. This is one of the best projects I've heard. Not only is the production flawless but Cage's vocals are unblemished and powerful. Each and every song ministers to the soul, and the songwriting and musical element is never lacking.
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