Gospel

This week's Gospel CDs reviewed

VARIOUS
Como Now: The Voices Of Panola Co, Mississippi Daptone****

You'll hear some extraordinary music on Como Now, but album producer Michael Reilly probably knew that when he embarked on this gig in the first place. After all, he wasn't the first one to venture to deepest Panola with a tape machine – musicologist Alan Lomax made the trip in the 1950s. Reilly invited local singers to Como's Mt Moriah church and, over the course of one afternoon, recorded them. There's no musical accompaniment, so all you're hearing are those voices singing, hollering and testifying with pride and devotion. It's music to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention, including unadorned and unvarnished soul from the likes of the Como Mamas (the brightest stars in this glowing galaxy), the John Edwards Singers (their take on It's Alrightis spell-binding), Brother and Sister Walker, Mary Moore and many more. www.daptonerecords. com/comonow

Download tracks: Trouble In My Way, It's Alright, Help Me To Carry On