Gospel
has scores of queens, leading ladies, and prophetesses, but class acts are hard to come by.
Yolanda Adams
is one of those rare gems, and
What a Wonderful Time
continues to prove it. The
Christmas
collection is her first album for
Columbia Records
, but she doesn't let the new guard change the way she does things. She continues to favor elegant
urban soul
with just the right amount of
adult contemporary
, so much so that one really has to pay attention to realize that this is, after all, a seasonal disc. Only three songs are
traditional
here, while the rest are all originals fashioned with
Adams
in mind -- they're soulful, inspirational, and uplifting. This may be an issue for those who prefer their yuletide hits to sound like the holidays, which
definitely doesn't. That's because
is more an encourager than an entertainer, which explains the hopeful, motivational nature of cuts like
"With God,"
"Hold On,"
and
"Just Because,"
all of which would've fit gingerly on her own
Mountain High...Valley Low
or
Day by Day
albums. That's not to say she doesn't reflect the spirit or even the triviality of the holidays; the sumptuous,
big-band
title track finds her half-singing, half-scatting what
means to her -- from Jesus all the way down to baked goods. That's exactly what's endeared
to so many people: to her,
gospel
isn't just about deep, life-changing religious experiences, but also about a lifestyle -- the way one lives the music long after the high of the Sunday service is gone. This makes
an enjoyable treat, not to mention one of the most unseasonable seasonal albums to come out of
contemporary gospel
music. ~ Andree Farias