(Realworld)
It is said that when a person loses one sense, their remaining four become more acute. If this is true, it certainly explains why The Blind Boys of Alabama sound so good. They may be lacking in sight but they more than make up for it with sound. With voices calibrated to deliver soulful and rich melodies, The Blind Boys bring gospel to a pinnacle of sound in their most recent album, Higher Ground.
It would seem like The Blind Boys have been around for as long as music has, but their history can be traced to humble beginnings. In 1939, Clarence Fountain, the leader of the group, gathered some friends from the Talladega Institute for the Blind in Alabama. From there the small group that included current members Jimmy Carter and George Scott started touring. Sixty-two years and 21 albums later they crafted Spirit of the Century, and received the 2001 Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album. That success rolls on with Higher Ground.
Though their voices could carry any number of songs, The Blind Boys have brought along the considerable talent of Robert Randolph and The Family Band and Ben Harper. Randolph and crew complement every word the old guys have to say while Ben Harper's vocals on \People Get Ready"" and guitar work on ""Freedom Road"" blend in seamlessly.
The songs don't read like a hymnal; they're derived and cajoled from a variety of sources, ranging from tradition spirituals to Stevie Wonder to Aretha Franklin. ""I Shall Not Walk Alone"" comforts and feels like a friendly shoulder to rest upon. The crown of the album, ""I May Not Can See"" is honest and funny. Forgive the double modal and skip to this track; its warmth is irresistible.
It seems as though The Blind Boys are drawing from something heavenly. An album of praise, Higher Ground deserves all the praise it can get. Fountain and company are supreme, Randolph and Harper are spectacularly modest and each track invites the listener to lie down in green pastures. Higher Ground is equal parts testament, affirmation of faith and a product of it.
--Ben Schultz
