The gospel music scene will never be the same following the release of crooner Boy-T’s debut album, entitled Home Again.
The sixteen-song set is a long overdue breath of fresh air in a genre that has hardly seen development in terms of musicianship.
For long, the genre has been more about regurgitating the same church melodies over lines nicked from standard hymns.
Home Again, however, turns this stereotype on its head with a song list that carries great songwriting and lush arrangements to make even seasoned musicians go green with envy.
If there is one bold statement that Boy-T’s album makes, it is that gospel music can be hip to the bone.
The album blends contemporary music styles such as Hip Hop, contemporary jazz, Afro-pop and R&B, which is the most dominant.
He says of the record: “I wanted to make music I could relate to”.
And there is great singing in the album.
Boy-T features the talents of crooners such as Tshepo Lesole, Kayzee, Kgotla and Pule Jankome of the Saints Gospel Band.
Rappers Bakgatla and Nomadic also make musical appearances in the record.
Tshepo Lesole, aka T-Les, and Kayzee also handle production duties on the album.
Songs to watch out for include O Ka Tshela Jang, A Re Mmakeng, Ke Morena and Ke Tshepa Jesu. All in all, this is an album that one can play from the first track to the last without skipping a tune. It is a collector’s CD.
Fans can also download for free the song Rest Fo’ Yo’ Troubled Mind on Botswana’s only music website, www.e-funk.biz.
Home Again also offers a window into Boy-T’s formative influences such as Kirk Franklyn, J Moss, Tonex, Detrick Hadden, Tshepo Lesole, PJ, G-effect, Mthunzi Namba, as well as secular artists like R Kelly, Ruffendz, Joe, Tyrese and Keith Sweat.
