SceneandHeard.com

This is the first album for the Vancouver-based vocal gospel trio. The group met performing in The Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir and sang for the first time together as an ensemble on Jim Byrnes’ 2007 Juno Award-winning CD House of Refuge.

Hold Oncontains a lot of snappy, soulful tunes expertly sung by Will Sanders, Ron Small and Marcus Mosely. Each singer has a fantastic voice in his own right and they all combine to make a powerful, pleasing sound with no one singer standing out from the rest. The songs have, for the most part, been written by the performers themselves.

The Sojourners’ sound is true gospel reminiscent of the style of music sung back in the 30s and 40’s. The singers use minimal accompaniment with the focus on the tight harmonies and swinging cadence of the tunes. Gospel lovers will appreciate the album although for the uninitiated, the songs tend to blend together somewhat with no one tune standing out.

It would have been interesting to hear these talented singers take non-traditional gospel music and hear their arrangements infused with a gospel flavour. However, Hold On is well sung and sure to be appreciated by gospel lovers everywhere (Amen to that!).

-Lauren Schneider