- Out of the Box
- Under My Feet (featuring BB Jay)
- He's All That I Need
- God Will
- Because of You
- What A Friend
- That's Our Praise
- Nobody Like Ya
- Focus
- Interlude Thank You
- Give Thanks
- Heaven
- Covenant God
- Covenant God (reprise)
With their debut album,
The "neo-soul gospel" music here is undeniably fresh and impressively varied, with sounds including old-school Sunday morning, hip-hop (featuring BB Jay) and '70s-era R&B. Vocals are superb, and it's clear that Testament and the band far exceed the ability of the average church ensemble.
Still, generally speaking, there's a conspicuous disparity between the stunning musical quality of the songs and their lyrical quality. If this were the case for just one or two of the 14 tracks, it wouldn't be worth mentioning. But it's striking how many songs string together cliché after cliché. Songs often outlast their lyrical content by a couple of minutes, a fact poorly hidden by repeated choruses, modulations or unique stylings. It frequently feels like the band has taken over, leaving the top-notch ensemble underutilized.
Highlights despite this pattern include the sweetly passionate "Covenant God;" the retro-esque "Heaven;" "Give Thanks," featuring husky lead vocals by Kevin Bennett; "Focus," with an easy R&B vibe; and the calypso-flavored "Nobody Like You." The old-school, down-home deacon 'round the piano feel of "What a Friend" makes for a fun listen.