Marion Gaines Singers - This Too Is Gospel (Remastered) (2020) [Hi-Res]

The opening measures of “Are You Ready,” track one of the Marion Gaines Singers’ “This Too Is Gospel,” are a manifesto for a group vying to be unchained. What begins as a bar of metered, tame gospel, breaks away ever so slightly as guitarist Rance Allen teases the listener with the tickle of his strings. By the time the accompanying quartet of singers joins in, the natural order has tipped back into balance, and the gospel is back as the listener should expect. But moments like these, in little pockets, peak out throughout the record, which bore a title that suggests the old guard of gospel music was headed in a radical direction.

Formed in Detroit in 1966 and consisting of Katie Mitchell, Shirley Johnson, Robert Waters and Marion Gaines, the Marion Gaines Singers had previously recorded releases on Minit and King Records by the time they landed on Gospel Truth. Though they were far from buttoned up by gospel standards on their previous outings, the group made obvious strides to announce a new era for their musicianship on “This Too Is Gospel.” Here, they revisit “I’ve Been Talked About,” the title track of their 1969 debut album, adopting a funkier, groovier tone, assisted by the heavy bass of Steve Allen. And while making room for traditional tunes such as “Oh, Mary Don’t You Weep,” the group also saves space for Rance Allen to flex a bit on the wah-wah pedal, for an understated, yet brave, infusion of hard rock.