Sunday Service – Jesus Is Born

Yeezy's latest religious proclamation...

An exaggerated version of ‘JESUS IS KING’, ‘Jesus Is Born’ stomps 19 gospel ballads.

Back on May 20th Kim Kardashian shared a video to Twitter of a gospel choir with Kanye West amongst the crowd. Throughout summer Kanye devised the Sunday Service Choir, practising both traditional Christian hymns and revisions of his own music.

Six months later Kanye dropped ‘JESUS IS KING’, featuring Sunday Service Choir on introductory track, ‘Every Hour’, and sampled for harmonies on ‘Selah’, ‘Closed On Sunday’, and more.

Whilst ‘JESUS IS KING’ is an album devoted to Kanye’s unity with religion, ‘Jesus Is Born’ is the Sunday Service Choir’s first full release, appropriately enough released on the holiest day of the year.

Shared on Christmas Day, ‘Jesus Is Born’ includes distinctive renditions of ‘Father Stretch My Hand Part 1’ and ‘Ultralight Beam’ taken from his 2016 ‘The Life Of Pablo’ album.

Bluesy, angelic ‘Rain’ is a peaceful, nonchalant ballad. The smoothness of the vocals drift across subtle fret work until uplifting into soulful funk. ‘Follow Me – Faith’ dissolves into ‘Fade’, the acclaimed, penultimate track.

Sung in the tune of Sia’s ‘Elastic Heart’ ninth track ‘Lift Up Your Voices’ is fourth in line amongst recognisable tracks ‘Father Stretch,’ ‘Follow Me-Faith’ and ‘Ultralight Beam.’

With a platform as large as Kanye’s, his Sunday Service Choir is something we’re all yet to come to terms with, but ‘Jesus Is Born’ – as a stand-alone album – is pretty neat.

But are you listening to ‘Jesus Is Born’ because it’s a new gospel album you fancy exploring or because Kanye West has made a gospel choir?

We’ll let 2020 decide that one.

7/10

Words: Laviea Thomas

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