The Spiritualaires are a six-piece gospel group from Alabama who sing in ragged-but-true harmony about the joys and fellowship of following the teachings of Jesus with a down and dirty, gutbucket tone that suggests they've seen their share of both heaven and hell. Their debut album comes on the heels of nearly six decades (!) of performing together. Drawn heavily from live radio broadcasts, the album has a loose, energetic feel that allows the gritty glee of tracks like "I'm Going to Tell on You" and "I'm on My Way to Heaven Anyhow" to shine through. Curtis Harris' guitar provides a soulful accompaniment on several songs that unites the soaring voices of the group and highlights the blues foundation of its sound. Recommended for fans of blues, gospel, country or (especially) all three.

By Peter J. MacDonald
Jul 27, 2007