eMusic

Start Your Trial

The Lifeboat

by

Chosen Gospel Singers

 
  • Pick
The Lifeboat

Rate it!

Average: 4.5 (11 ratings)

Slow-burning, intense a capella gospel

  • We Say...

    The Chosen Gospel Singers are best-known for the fact that Lou Rawls was once a lead singer in the group, in the early '50s. Formed in Houston in 1950, the group's music was slow-burning, intense a capella gospel in a style reminiscent of the Highway QC's and the slower numbers by the Soul Stirrers and Pilgrim Travelers. Unlike many quartets of the era, there are no guitars or piano, while the percussion is kept simple but effective, mimicking the stomping of feet and clapping of hands. The quintet's sound is a pure link back to slave-era spirituals, yet it has a modern, post-jubilee intensity to it. On glorious, stomping dirges like "Don't You Know the Man" and "One Two Three" (their take on "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel"), the group is largely restrained, carrying a song to the very brink of dissolution, then backing off. On this outstanding album, they do let loose completely on occasion, as on the mic-shattering "It's Getting Late in the Evening."

  • They Say...

    Featured are previously unreleased tracks, alternate takes, and long-out-of-print gems by this major gospel quartet, led at times by Lou Rawls.

  • You Say...

    I would like to say...

    Artist: Chosen Gospel Singers

    Album: The Lifeboat

    Review Title: (maximum 50 characters)

    Your Review: (maximum 1,000 characters)

    Cancel

    Please keep your comments to the recordings themselves, and be courteous and respectful. Thanks! For further info, read our Community Guidelines.

    Write a Review

The indie iTunes — Hardcore music fans are migrating to eMusic, the iTunes Music Store's cheaper, cooler cousin.


Rolling Stone
Start Your Trial

© 1998-2008 eMusic.com Inc. eMusic and the eMusic logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks in the USA or other countries. All rights reserved.

All Music Guide © 1992 - 2008 All Media Guide, LLC
Portions of content provided by All Music Guide, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC

YouTube, Flickr™ and Wikipedia® are registered trademarks of their respective owners, Google, Inc., Yahoo! Inc. and Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Neither Google, Inc., Yahoo! Inc. nor Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. are partners or sponsors of eMusic. eMusic uses the Flickr, YouTube and Wikipedia API but is not endorsed or certified by Flickr, YouTube and Wikipedia. eMusic does not pre-screen, monitor, endorse nor assume any liability for websites, contents, products, services or claims made by YouTube, Flickr™ and Wikipedia®.