Reviews
James Fortune & FIYA
Daring to be different can enhance a composition. Unfortunately, the hip-hop induced If You Want To drowns in too much ambition, including awkward bridges, weak hooks, and electronic masking, burying Nikki Ross and the other soloists. A risk taken on the crunk-type rap break mixed with Gospel inflections on the previous CD, My Dance, maintained a smoother flow, delivering an energetic praise atmosphere.
An obvious difference between the two projects is the first single. While You Survived dealt with struggles on a personal level, Fortune chooses a song from a Gospel legend, The Blood, Andrae Crouch’s signature piece, soars with Zacardi Cortez’s passionate vocals piercing the worship zone, while honoring the original melody.
Two other recommendations come to mind: Great Is Thy King, a simple but on-point praise romp, blends vocals, horns, strings, and rhythm section displaying bright colors and preciseness. Then there’s an inventive twist on O Holy Night in the form of a new melody simply titled, Holy Night, doused with splashy percussion.
Longtime collaborator Terrence Vaughn returns as Fortune’s right-hand man and as co-writer and co-producer for most tracks. While the musicianship is sharp, especially with Phillip Lassiter’s deft horns, there are fewer memorable tracks compared to You Survived, especially dealing with fluent Latin beats and Ross’ strong vocals for He’s Mighty, and snappy R&B harmonies on Praise Anthem. However, Fortune & FIYA can still flow with both old and new, just as long as their material does not overwhelm their message.
