It's almost unthinkable that contemporary gospel star Kirk Franklin
hasn't had a greatest-hits offering before now. He sold over seven
million records between 1993 and 2011, and that total continues to
rise. In addition, Franklin is a true crossover artist: his
recordings have consistently charted on the pop, R&B, and
gospel charts. Sony Legacy lays out this eclectically sequenced
double-disc comp full of singles and album tracks from all of his
Gospocentric recordings. As if to showcase just how wide-ranging
Franklin's music is, the album opener -- a live "He Reigns/Awesome
God (The Medley)," from his 2002 album The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin
-- weaves together hip-hop, gritty contemporary soul, contemporary
gospel, and the norteo and conjunto sounds Franklin grew up with on
the radio and in the streets of Riverside, Texas. The accents on
sopranos, altos, and contraltos weave through the beat-heavy
Spanish guitar arrangement, and genuinely stir the listener -- no
matter her or his belief system. The track that started it all, the
stellar single "Why We Sing" from 1993's Kirk Franklin & the
Family, also appears on disc one, as do cuts from Hero (an album
that featured guest appearances by Rance Allen and Stevie Wonder)
and Songs for the Storm, Vol. 1. Disc two also relies on tracks
from those offerings and includes the funky Looking for You, which
contains a sample from Patrice Rushen's stepper Havent You Heard,
delves more deeply into cuts from Songs for the Storm, Vol. 1, and
includes "Revolution" from Nu Nation Project, Let Me Touch You
(Live) from 2001s Whatcha Lookin 4, as well as I Am and the title
track off 2011s Hello Fear to bring things up to date. There are 28
completely remastered cuts in all, spanning 18 years, totaling
two-and-a-half hours of music. The set also comes with an
historical liner essay by Bil Carpenter, and sells for a very
attractive budget price. While fans of Franklin will more than
likely have these tracks from his albums, hearing them sequenced
this way makes for an enlightening experience. For the curious, The
Essential Kirk Franklin also provides a very solid introduction to
one of the most dynamic artists gospel has produced since Andr
Crouch. AMG
General
Label: |
Zomba Books
|
Release date: |
2012 |
Performers: |
Kirk Franklin
|
Dimensions: |
125 x 142 x 10mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
|
Disks: |
2 |
Categories: |
Music >
Gospel
|
LSN: |
XHE-K1L-EFH-6 |
Barcode: |
6007124658739 |
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Disk 1
1 |
He Reigns/Awesome God (The Medley) |
2 |
Hide Me |
3 |
Conquerors (Live) |
4 |
Something About The Name Jesus |
5 |
Silver and Gold (Live) |
6 |
Why We Sing |
7 |
Why |
8 |
The Storm Is Over Now |
9 |
Imagine Me |
10 |
Help Me Believe |
11 |
Before I Die |
12 |
Now Behold The Lamb (Live) |
13 |
Hosanna |
14 |
Stomp |
Disk 2
15 |
Looking For You |
16 |
You Are |
17 |
Blessing In the Storm |
18 |
He's Able |
19 |
When I Get There |
20 |
Brokenhearted |
21 |
He-ll Take The Pain Away |
22 |
Speak To Me (Live) |
23 |
Afterwhile |
24 |
The Family Worship Medley (Live) |
25 |
Revolution |
26 |
I Am |
27 |
Let Me Touch You |
28 |
Hello Fear |
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!