The McClurkin Project Releases "We Praise You" In Stores March 13th

In an era overflowing with talented song technicians—long on craft, but sometimes lacking in heart, soul and spirit—We Praise You, the long-awaited sophomore offering from The McClurkin Project, is as welcome as a cool shower on a hot summer day. Featuring Olivia, Cheri, and Tanya McClurkin, and Andrea McClurkin-Mellini, all sisters of superstar Donnie McClurkin (who co-produced the album, and contributed a number of hits-to-be from his own pen, as well as two stunning "guest" vocal appearances), We Praise You arises from what is indisputably one of gospel music’s most prodigious pools of talent.

Recorded live before a packed house in Queens, NY, We Praise You has a "blend-in-the-blood" sound that’s so tight and intuitive it could only be created by family. The four sisters whisper, wail, swing and smoke through thirteen songs, largely originals, and the rollicking reinvention of a beloved gospel classic. Each McClurkin effortlessly sails in and out of melody, harmony, counterpoint and chorus.

The album’s title track, written by Andrea, starts as a spirited celebration of the greatness and majesty of the Lord, driven by an irresistible R&B/Gospel and retro/funk groove. The song builds with an almost incendiary intensity, as Andrea soars into a stratospheric lead vocal, and the sisters lock in with her in circuit-breaking, high-voltage sync. And though the track ends at just over five minutes, it clearly is not "over" by a long shot.

After an interval of only a several seconds, The McClurkin Project—and their equally explosive band—kick back into a spontaneous reprise. "I just kept hearing, in my head, the line: ‘If I couldn’t say a word,’" Andrea recalls. "Everyone was on their feet by then. I jumped back in with that, and it went from there, with my sisters answering me: ‘I’d just wave my hands,’ and ‘I’d just leap for joy.’ It took on a life of its own. It was an incredible moment and we went with it. Praise God…He knows what He’s doing!"

With a passion that’s just as deep, but also bearing its own distinctive stamp, Olivia steps front-and-center with the jaunty, R&B gem, "You Are An Awesome God," (co-written with her daughter, Crystal Fythe), and the absolutely gorgeous, pop-flavored ballad, "Touch Me." Olivia’s up-tempo take on the gospel evergreen, "Precious Lord," rather than seeking divine solace, resounds with the revelation of joy to be found in the comfort of the Lord.

The sisters carry the heart of the heavenly melody and harmonies on "As Long As You’re There," as brother Donnie—long-renowned as one of the great singers of his generation—improvisationally pours out his soul on a song that is surely destined to be a praise & worship classic for the ages. Profoundly moving, readily singable, and utterly unforgettable, it stands as a hallmark of both We Praise You, and what the world will soon come to recognize as the definitive, unmistakable McClurkin Project sound.