Music Review: Blind Boys of Alabama: Go Tell it on the Mountain

A current favorite holiday CD, Blind Boys of Alabama: Go Tell it on the Mountain has been playing on repeat as I cook, bake cookies and clean in the kitchen. A mix of traditional Christmas songs (Joy to the World, Away in a Manger, O Come all Ye Faithful) and gospel flavored pieces (Last Month of he Year, I Pray on Christmaqs, Go Tell it on the Mountain), this CD features the tight 4-part harmonies that makes dramatic use of contrasting vocal leads. Some songs make you tap your toes; others tempt you to dance; while during the quieter ones you find yourself gently swaying.

It was at Alabama’s Talladega Institute for the Blind, in 1939, that the five blind boys first came together, initially calling their group "The Happyland Singers." They were re-christened the "Blind Boys" in 1948. Following is a quote from their website:

Since 1939, The Blind Boys of Alabama have sung a fervent blend of traditional and contemporary Gospel music. Much has changed during these seven prolific decades. Stylistic phases have waxed and waned; personnel has come and gone. 78 r.p.m. records have given way to LPs, followed by eight-track tapes, cassettes, and CDs. The Blind Boys’ audience – once rigidly segregated and confined to traditional Gospel venues – now reflects the group’s eclectic, global following, while their repertoire has expanded to embrace secular songs with a strongly spiritual message. Such wide acceptance is also evidenced by four Grammy Awards, an honor that didn’t exist when the Blind Boys started out. Even so, the Blind Boys’ lengthy saga remains a steadfast testament to constancy. Singer Jimmy Carter, who was there when the group was first formed, leads the band today with the firm conviction, joyous commitment, and gravitas that befit an elder statesman.

A Reviewer from an Appalachian college wrote: At the core of the Blind Boys' sound is four-part harmony that makes dramatic use of contrasting vocal leads.

Another reviewer from the BBC said: If you want to melt under the mistletoe and feel groovy as you make the stuffing, then get Go Tell it on the Mountain. I guarantee, your festival will flow.

So, if you're looking for that last minute gift for eclectic music lover in your family, this is a winner. (If you need a gift for me, I already have one.... you'll have to get something else.)