David Hollister – The Book Of David: Vol 1 The Transition

By Rene Williams

Those who are well-versed in the arena of secular music will know the name Dave Hollister. A former member of the multi-platinum selling group BlackStreet, the young man has worked with some of the biggest names in R&B, pop and gospel music like Patti LaBelle, Mary J. Blige, Tom Jones, Bruce Hornsby, Yolanda Adams, Daryl Coley and Vanessa Bell Armstong. Now a born-again Christian, Hollister is hanging up the club dancing shoes for shouting shoes…well, sort of.

But don’t get it twisted; this gospel album isn’t for grandma. Layered with thick funk, beat-banging bass lines and urban-influenced, innovative songwriting, The Book Of David: Vol. 1 The Transition is Hollister’s first time out of the gospel gate. He begins with a prayer from a man with a repentant heart. It’s the perfect way to start off this project. An air of transparency and vulnerability catches the ear on beat one. It’s like each of the 21 tracks is a page in Hollister’s musical autobiography.

Songs like the gratitude-laden Nothing But God, a tight, slick track and Help Me, another urban-heavy song help Hollister take the R&B he’s known for and bring it into the confines of the church. In the latter tune, Hollister speaks about the struggles Christians encounter and “keeps it real”; it’s a theme that surfaces time and time again.

In Divorced, Hollister recalls the end of his marriage (complete with the grizzly details) followed by The Settlement containing lyrics of equal transparency. Hollister is exceptionally gifted with painting visual images with his songwriting (a la R. Kelly) to the point where you feel that you’re in the room with him. “I talk about things church people either hide from or act like they don't deal with," Hollister says. It’s a form of healing for the R&B crooner. "I don't know of any other way than to put my life out there because it's going to help people. God has really blessed me," he says.

What Do You Do?, the lead single for the project which helped The Book Of David: Vol 1 The Transition debut at the top spot on the Billboard Top Gospel Chart, is certainly one of the strongest in an impressive collection of music.

Other great cuts include the mellow Reach Out To Me, the tear-jerking, reflective I Let Heaven Down, the beat-driven Questions and the smoothed-out Pray (Til I Get An Answer). Moving in a more traditional vein, he sings The Potter, an Andrae Crouch tune. He closes out the project spreading the funk thick with No One and relaxing it out with Take Me Back.

Although musical greats like Mike City, Shep Crawford, PAJAM, and Andrae Crouch make contributions to the The Book Of David: Vol. 1 The Transition, it’s Hollister that truly shines on this project. Urban gospel music lovers have one of the best in the genre with this one.