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  Speak Life
Joe Pace and the Colorado Mass Choir Nominated for Grammy Award ---> Click Here After five albums and hit after hit, the Colorado Mass Choir is back on the scene with a sixth project. With director, songwriter, producer and CEO Joe Pace at the helm, the choir returns with Speak Life on Integrity Gospel.  Make no mistake about it, Pace and the choir are prime-time players and they make that known on what is surely their best offering to date.The 12 tracks blend a myriad of styles ranging from urban contemporary to down-home traditional —and everything in between (hear the audio). The project opens with the uptempo "God Can Do Anything", which features the powerful guest lead of Lucinda Moore. Moore has previously impressed, notably on GMWA Women of Worship projects, and does so again on this song. The musical flow of the piece reflects some of Pace's obvious influences, as the composition has a distinct John P. Kee flava to it. Similarly, "Hold On" resembles the uptempo writing style of Richard Smallwood with its distinct choral and brass arrangements. Though the styles in those songs are similar, Pace's writing style is all his own, something reflected throughout the album. Speaking of "Hold On", this song of encouragement features the distinct lead vocals of Pastor Rance Allen, and as you can imagine, he does not disappoint.
Pace taps into a distinct church vibe with "Hallelujah Anyhow". With the feel of a down home church joint, this one is distinct in its arrangement, as most of the song is sung with accompaniment from a bass drum and syncopated entries from CMC's talented band. The legendary Jonathan DuBose Jr. does exceptional guitar work, and Kevin Graves is stellar on the organ as he lays down a bass line that serves as the foundation for the majority of the choral vocals. Add the well-crafted vocal stylings of Maurice Carter and you have a bonafide hit on your hands. Carter also adds his passionate vocals to the funky, head-noddin' track "Stand", which serves as encouragement for the believer to stand firm in the midst of tests, trials, and storms. Over the last few years, Pace has branched into the praise & worship arena. So it's natural that he ushers the choir into this area, as virtually the entire second half of the project is dedicated to strong praise & worship. "We Lift Our Hands" is an urban worship ballad which chronicles true appreciation to Christ for His mighty works. Maurice Carter returns and masterfully leads as he ushers in God's  presence. The song then effortlessly transitions into "We Worship You This Day", a composition that will easily find a home with praise and worship teams around the nation.Pace picks up, well, the pace, with the "Sing Unto the Lord Medley" which features five different numbers including the popular "I Will Celebrate" and "When the Spirit of the Lord", first made popular by Fred Hammond and Radical For Christ. The title track does not go unnoticed as the choir reminds us to take a proactive role in our walk and speak life to our situations. The ever-present Jerard Woods adds the perfect touch with well placed runs that will make you take notice. In the song's reprise, Pace takes the lead and explains the principles and applications of speaking life. Add the "Joy to the World Medley" to all of this, and you have as well rounded a project as you'd want to find. Pace and the Colorado Mass Choir have given us a gem, and all that's left to do is to simply Speak Life.  Two song snips from the Speak Life album are available as RealAudio downloads. If you don't have RealAudio, be sure to obtain your free RealAudio player software first, by clicking on the blue RealAudio icon on the right. To download the song snips, simply click on the highlighted text below, let stream on RealAudio, and enjoy.
Email This To A Friend Integrity Gospel — reviewed by Gerard Bonner —
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