Integrity Gospel converts worship for the ears of a child on Shout Praises – Kids Gospel 2, with Aaron Lindsey and Israel Houghton partnering again to cover many praise and worship hits with a fresh flair. It’s the second (see the first) in the Shout Praises gospel series that pulls from energetic chart toppers —and the mastermind production combo of Houghton and Lindsey packages them for the family.

Children’s projects are always tough to balance. Presenting a musically full-bodied sound for delicate voices and balancing solid Word-based tunes —without being too advanced or too elementary —is not easy to do.

Shout Praises!

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<Kirk Franklin’s already youthful arrangement of “He Reigns/Awesome God” didn’t need a “younger” musical sound, but will perk young ears because the praise is with their own precious voices. The song starts off the project with just the right energy.

Martha Munizzi’s classic “Shout” gets a hand from Kim Rutherford on the lead, and Lindsey takes the helm vocally on “Highly Exalted”.

A real ‘new breed’ backs up Israel on “Better Than Life” and the salsa-infused “Come On Glorify” features some super-involved instrumentation. Layer upon layer of dancing keys and punctuating brass sounds invite the listener to revel in His glory. The movement of the music will inspire active minds.

Like all truly great albums for childeren, what truly makes the album appealing to the younger set is the inclusion of youthful voices. That’s why “Worship Medley” is the highlight of the project.

Kids Gospel 2 DVD

Unique in concept, the Kids Gospel 2 DVD fits perfectly into the world of kids who love to move to their Gospel jams. Stringing together the high energy cuts from the Kids Gospel albums, and combining them with extensive, neon flashy graphics, shots of real kids praising and silhouetted hallelujah praisers, it’s non-stop all the way to the end. Features on the DVD include options for screen lyrics, stereo performance trax and split trax, making it ideal for Sunday school activities and camps.

Soloists Kathryn Ball, Jasmine Garcia (see her solo album), Mariah Houghton, Emma Huelskamp, Tatiana Owens and Deborah Thomas hand off the mic on the different melodies of the medley that includes “More Precious Than Silver”, Lenny LeBlanc’s ubiquitous “There Is None Like You” and “I Worship You Almighty God”.

Joann Rosario’s “More, More, More” (penned by Fred Hammond and Noel Hall) is interpreted vocally by Monica Culp. Musically the tracking is kept simple, so as not to interfere with the innocent plea of the lyric. Culp draws from Rosario’s flava, but clearly has a mind (and a voice!) of her own.

Overall the project is an example of the freshness and honesty children bring to everything they do. There is a hunger and purity for learning, knowing, exploring and celebrating that is often lost in our quest to “live”.

Shout Praises – Kids Gospel 2 is a reminder of the fervor and intensity that should be inherent in our quest for God.