Light Years
The Detroit-born and -bred Winans brothers Marvin, Carvin, Michael, and Ronald didn't so much bridge as hop over the gap between old-school traditional and new-school contemporary gospel, often taking heat for blurring the lines between the sacred and secular worlds. While some of their work is out of print, or difficult to find, the hour-plusLight Yearscollection has some of the grooviest, funkiest God-praising tunes from their early-'80s albumsIntroducing the Winans,Long Time Comin', andTomorrow. All but one of these bass-laden tracks have the songsmith Reverend Marvin in its favor, and range from tender ("Bring Back the Days of Yea and Nay") toStevie Wonder-inspired R&B; ("Restoration") to good-time heavy-handed funk ("If I Labor"). "Tomorrow," penned by Carvin and his sister Deborah, is perhaps not only the group's signature song, but the family's theme prior to the rise of their careers.--Paige La Grone