Given Gurrumul’s God-given talent for creating music that can move anyone to tears with its depth and beauty, it should be no surprise that he’s delivered The Gospel Album. You don’t have to subscribe to Christianity, or any other religion, to appreciate the beauty in gospel music. There are as many different styles of gospel as there are colours in the rainbow, from the American style we’re most familiar with through to Kenyan gospel, which is sold on every street corner of Nairobi.
By re-imagining a range of gospel classics, Gurrumul takes these songs to a completely new level. The 12-song album is dedicated to the singer’s mother and aunts who brought him up with the songs and lullabies of the Elcho Island Methodist church. But what makes Gurrumul’s versions especially unique is the influence of his own tribe, the Gumatj clan of the Yolngu. Actually, for the most part the songs are sung in Yolngu dialect.
Some of the songs have a country tinge, especially Hallelujah, which feels like it took some inspiration from Nashville. Likewise Walu(Time) and Riyala(There is a River), both of which feature country and western-style guitar playing from the outset. The highlight of the album is most surely Amazing Grace. It’s more traditional in style, but the haunting Yolngu vocals are just straight-up beautiful. Another favourite is the more upbeat The Sweetest Name, which kicks off with wonderful, almost military style drumming.
The record is held together by Gurrumul’s unmistakable haunting voice, which is always an emotion-inducing weapon whether live or recorded.
BY ISABELLE ODERBERG
