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Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens

In the six years since the release of their last full-length record, Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens have toured extensively, playing main stages at some of the most prestigious festivals in the world, including Bonnaroo, The Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreal Pop, and The Ottawa Blues Festival. Though seasoned veterans, these last years of touring played a crucial role in the creation of the songs that would become the forthcoming album Cold World. With Gabriel Roth (Bosco Mann) at the helm, Naomi and company went into the studio (add date), and cut twelve inspired new songs live to eight-track tape.

Though the music is most unapologetically gospel, most of the lyrics on the record would fall under what could be called "message songs". That is, music containing uplifting spiritual messages, reminiscent of the more inspirational moments of The Staple Singers or Curtis Mayfield. However, the relationship between gospel and soul music does not need to be discussed again here. It is as plainly and naturally inherent in these grooves as it is in the singer's every word and motion. There is no one alive today that has a voice or spirit more capable of lifting an audience than Naomi Shelton. On this record, the grooves are pure Soul. 'Sinner' sits atop Side One as a dark welcome into the soulful stomping world of the Queens. They flow effortlessly from the Sunday stomp of 'Get Up, Child' to the country-twinged swagger of 'One Day' and 'I Earned Mine'; from the river's edge lilt of 'Everybody Knows' and 'I Don't Know' to the energetic boogie of 'Thank You Lord', 'It's A Cold, Cold World', and 'Bound for the Promised Land'.