The room, not the booth
Tauren Wells has spent years writing songs that work on a radio clock. Here Comes the Church, out October 2, is the first time he has put a whole live worship record in front of people. The songs come from Breathe On It, but the arrangements are rebuilt for a room that answers back.
Who is in the circle
“What a Miracle Feels Like,” with Naomi Raine, is the one that already knew how to travel. “Breathe On It” is the radio cut that still has to work when a congregation is holding the last line. Tasha Cobbs Leonard and Israel Houghton do not show up as name-drops. They change the temperature of the songs they touch. Hulvey and Abbie Gamboa pull the set toward younger ears without turning it into a feature reel.
Play it
Listen for the space between the downbeat and the shout. A live gospel record earns its keep there. If the choir is only decoration, skip it. On this one, the choir is the argument.
