Review Summary: Overall, this is a positive release of music from an obviously positive member of our Gospel community.
This is a solid new EP offering from what should almost be a new category in Gospel music, pushing the marriage of entrepreneurship and faith. Making the most of opportunity and education, and the God given dragon energy any one individual may possess, is the main message on this EP. The delivery of the message is made with a sense of humor and fervor of a preacher (no surprise). Pastor Kelley likes to be a man who is dedicated to making the most of his opportunities in life. He wears many hats in his community and is an author as well. The book he wrote touches on life, love, unity and respecting each other, despite differences that stem from race religion gender and political beliefs.
The highlights of the EP are the first two songs. They’re the meat and potatoes musically of his project. The Storm is Coming has percussive bedrock that bobs and weaves like a boxer. David Kelley makes a variation of the common Gospel chestnut of your arms are too short to box with God. He preaches that in every life some rain will fall and it is wise man who buys umbrellas on a rainy day. The gospel chorus of call and response gives hope in the overcast skies of this performance. It is not a negative warning though. It just serves as a steady reminder, to be mindful of where our blessings may come from.
From the dawning of that overcast morning sky, he steps over to the sunny side of the street with the infectious Man Of God. He describes his life in full detail. Asking and answering the questions of himself and on behalf of the people that he meets in the streets and communities where he ministers. “Hello Man of God,” they say. Instead of just playing the role Kelley expands that, to question him about the level of good works that needs to happen. Commitment to God, begins first thing in the morning for Gospel folk and that is where Kelley goes in the verses of this upbeat modern R&B song. There is a slight tug of war that happens in the Gospel community when it comes to Urban Contemporary Gospel and the older generation that demands the music never strays from the tried and true original gospel sounds. Kelley, is embracing the way that speaks to the people in his own community.
The EP starts to falter when it he tries to bring more of a lighthearted touch to the song Oh Lord I Need a Favor Shut Her Up. One the one hand, there is a lot of humor and truth involved. Asking God a favor such as this is something a lot of guys have done. One can say there are a lot of baby girls that do their own praying along those lines, and whom the Lord answers depends on the situation. God is a referee that seems to make the right calls on his own. But it does not hurt to ask. The EP closes with Sit Your Rump Down, a breezy soulful admonition to the preachers who are far more materialistic than God would consider appropriate. Though, a judge who says he is not judging, probably is throwing stones in glass houses. Overall though, this is a positive release of music from an obviously positive member of our Gospel community.
