spiritual keithy

“Love Lifted Me”
By: Ulysses Brown


Somewhere between the pulpit and the dance floor, this uplifting gospel/r&b song from Atlanta-based worship leader, Ulysses Brown, will have you praising God and raising your hands, while singing along to the memorable chorus and dancing in the aisles.

Kicking off with a retro-inspired drum loop, accompanied by a tight bass and piano riff, this track is a sparsely-produced foundation (smartly so) for Brown’s emotional and soulful testimony. Although Mr. Brown has a very distinctive tone and vocal style, from the opening note, I was reminded of several brilliant 80s/90s secular r&b vocalists like JT Taylor (Kool and the Gang) and Rafael Sadiq (Tony!Toni! Tone!) as well as gospel contemporaries like Kirk Franklin and Israel Houghton.

Brown begins his story with the very emotionally-heavy, “I was sinking, deep in sin,” laying the groundwork for his powerful testimony. The funk-infused bass groove carries the verses nicely, adding to the dance-ability of the track. That funky groove is accompanied by a lilting organ and driving piano chords, which gives the music a bit of a club/house feel. From there, the story takes an uplifting course: ”The Master heard my despairing cry.” The real party starts when the choir appears on the chorus. You can almost visualize the members swaying and clapping along jubilantly, as they sing, “Love Lifted Me.” The song reveals its most poignant line as it approaches the final chorus:“I came running to Jesus; weary, wounded and so sad within my heart. And, I found in Him a resting place, and He has made me glad.”

It’s easy to see why this song was a number one single on James Banfield’s Blog Talk Radio show. Pure joy, praise and redemption are found on “Love Lifted Me.” For fans of bass driven, r&b-influenced gospel music, this track is pure heaven.

--Reviewed by Michael Stover
MTS Management Group
www.mtsmanagementgroup.com

spiritual keithy

Ackeith Stewart