- Queen of Soul
- Higher Ground
- Streams of Mercy
- The Blessing
- Ready or Not
- Satisfied with Drowning
- Twilight Hour
- I Need Jesus
- Deeper Walk
- Roll Away the Stone
Ashley Cleveland kicks off her seventh album with "Queen of Soul," a fantastic blues rocker that isn't about Aretha Franklin but the hope that Jesus offers every woman who has ever felt hurt and longing—from the Samaritan at the well to the girl in an abusive relationship today. It's the perfect opener for this Grammy-winning artist, demonstrating the gutsy honesty with which she expresses her faith and applies it to the world, while also proving her amazing vocal has lost nothing in the 15 years since her debut. Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna Judd, Joni Mitchell, Annie Lennox, Melissa Etheridge, and yes, even Franklin—Cleveland truly is everywoman in the way she captures the grit, tenderness, passion, and soul of these legendary singers, yet delivers with a voice uniquely her own.
Co-produced with husband/guitarist Kenny Greenberg,
Still, the album feels a little played out after just ten songs. Cleveland doesn't really try anything new, and the latter half labors because of it—"Twilight Hour" has a more predictable pop/rock sound, and "I Need Jesus" lacks the musical urgency to support its desperate plea. But Cleveland nevertheless pulls it off with grace and distinction, drawing deep within herself to be bold with her faith, not trite. She's always going to make excellent albums, with or without label support.