Incredible
On this follow-up to their groundbreaking debut,Thankful, Mary Mary continue their crusade to hip a new generation to the Gospel. Their gift for making the Word accessible to the masses has something to do with their secular R&B; sound (with Warryn Campbell's knack for hip-hop beats adding that radio-ready feel). But there's a great deal more to these sisters than their ability to sound likeWhitneyorMary J.Erica and Tina’s phenomenally powerful voices are served and met admirably by their writing skills--resulting in some highly inspired yet street-credible material. "Give It Up Let It Go" has elements of funk (and sounds a bit likeNikka Costa's "Everybody Got Their Something"). "He Said" takes youth culture's apathetic "wherever, whatever" attitude and flips it, soaring to unexpected heights with the message that God will always be there for you, wherever you are and whatever happens. And the chorus of "In the Morning" is a particularly striking example of lyric and melody perfectly matched--the key change at phrase's end is a stroke of brilliance. Mary Mary can successfully coverStevieand hang with Darkchild; this album is a testament to why.--Laura Etling