- So Good
- You Don't Know
- Days of My Life
- The Only One
- Life Worth Living
- Talkin' Bout Love
- Flashback
- Our Love
- So Beautiful
- Jesus Will
- All
If you follow Christian music closely, you may already be familiar with Antonio Neal without even knowing it. Though just now making his debut on EMI Gospel, the singer has made a number of low- and high-profile appearances on a host of tracks from the likes of Stacie Orrico, GRITS, Nicole C. Mullen, and Rachael Lampa, among others. These collaborations serve as the foundational inspiration for Neal's inaugural opus,
The fact that Neal co-helmed the production of the album with pop music connoisseur Tedd T. only solidifies the strength of these tracks. The pair not only has a knack for crafting unshakeable hooks, but they can also make the lyrics relevant without resorting to the overt nature of gospel music. Take audacious opener "So Good" or the unrelenting "You Don't Know," both buttery, declaratory head-bobbers that would sound equally at home in the club or at a praise party.
Even when the beats-per-minute slow down, Neal adopts a near-perfect acoustic soul style ("The Only One," "Flashback") that sounds like a crosspollination of Stevie Wonder and India.Arie. Of these, "Life Worth Living" is a pop-soul jewel, hearkening back to the time when quiet grooves, social conscience, and everyday introspection were the bread and butter of R&B music.
These qualities make