This is the new wave of American gospel, but it’s rooted firmly in the past. Ann, Deborah, Regina and Alfreda are sisters with an impressive history: their dad was the Rev Samuel McCrary, who sang with celebrated Nashville gospel group the Fairfield Four, formed back in the 1920s. Individually, or as a quartet, they have worked with everyone from Bob Dylan to Stevie Wonder, Dr John and Jackson Browne, and their close-harmony vocals switch effortlessly between gospel, soul and foot-stomping R&B. This is a subtle, impressively varied set helped enormously by the production work from Nashville guitarist Buddy Miller. It starts with the urgent a cappella title track before switching from the rousing Fire to the stirring harmonies of Don’t Let Nobody Turn You Round (featuring the current Fairfield Four), to the grand and thoughtful Hold the Wind, with Miller joining in. Exuberant and classy.
