Myron Butler & Levi – Set Me Free

By Rene Williams

EMI Gospel

Few artists enter the gospel music industry as a solo artist with the experience of Myron Butler. Starting his music business career as a singer and songwriter, Butler honed his skills working for one of the best in the business. At the young age of 17, his first song, Lift Him Up was recorded by the DFW Mass Choir. It was his involvement with that choir that set him up for a divine appointment. One of the choir directors named Kirk Franklin saw the talent in the young man and soon became his mentor. Soon after, he became a member of God’s Property, as a singer and the group’s main choir director. In his calling as a songwriter, he’s written for God’s Property -- songs like Up Above My Head and Thank You For Your Child on Kirk Franklin & The Family Christmas project – and for Kim Burrell on her hit, Victory. He has worked with (as a songwriter, producer and vocalist) Yolanda Adams, Natalie Grant, Donnie McClurkin, Smokie Norful, Men of Standard, Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers and many others.

Stepping out of the shadows, Butler has just released his EMI Gospel debut, Set Me Free. The ten-track CD finds Butler & his singing aggregation, Levi, singing praises to God with a unique mixture of traditional choir vocals over an ultra contemporary sound. That Place, the project’s opener, is laced with a bit of funky and soul. Slick horn entrances and licks from a sleek bass guitar give the song an urban texture. Levi also makes a dynamic arrival with their tight vocals as they sing about Heaven. The Clark Sister-influenced I Can finds Butler & Levi singing about doing the impossible through Christ.

Set Me Free, the project’s title track, is a fast-moving, infectious track. Already hitting the radio waves, the energetic track is a percussion-driven one. You’ll be listening to this one time and time again. Those who are disappointed with their present circumstances will be encouraged by Latter Rain. Butler speaks, as well as sings, on this track and lets the listener know the future will be better than the past. Many will love That’s Who You Are for its simplicity and its vertically-directed theme.

Everything starts with Butler speaking Ephesians 3:20 thereby setting the theme for the song. Survive, yet another powerful track, showcases Butler again speaking life to the listener. The impressive vocals of Butler & Levi and the strong spiritual lyrical content of the song make this one a stand-out.

Heal The Land, a song inspired by II Chronicles 7:14, petitions the Lord to restore our world. Butler says that with all that’s going on in the world today, the tune is particularly relevant. “There are so many distressing and catastrophic events happening all around us today,” says Butler, “and I won’t go so far as to say its God’s judgment against us, but I do know that if we as a people would turn our focus on Him to be the healer, and the solution, and comforter, that’s where the answers-and the changes-will be found.” Set over a mellow musical interlude, the lyrics are quite thought-provoking. Myron Butler & Levi provide a solid CD with Set Me Free.

For more information about Myron Butler & Levi, go to www.myronbutlerandlevi.com

Feedback - Rene Williams is a freelance writer for Gospelcity.com, GTM Magazine and Charisma Magazine. She also is the author of the Gospel News Update, a bi-weekly e-zine about what's happening in the Christian music industry, and the D.C. Gospel News Update, a weekly newsletter about gospel events in the Washington, D.C. area.