All that dues paying comes to fruition on “Introducing DeWayne Woods,” released on Donald Lawrence’s new label, Quiet Water Entertainment, partnering with Gospel giant, Verity Records. Pretty impressive credentials. Woods had released an indie project, “The Poets, The Psalms and The Psalmists,” a number of years earlier which wasn’t in circulation long, but it did create some buzz for the strong young artist. A few of the “Introducing” tracks are lifted from that earlier project.
Opening strong with “Made a Way,” the first thing you notice is Woods’ smooth vocals. It’s a great way to ease into the project, Woods crooning his message of trusting God gently above smooth brushwork and simmering keys before his When Singers Meet team jumps in at just the right moment to build to a big finish. The warm horns and the Singers also help Woods take “Let Go” to a uplifting climax.
The album’s standout track has to be the compelling “Strong Tower,” a spine-tingler led by exuberant vocals, a hard-driving rhythm section, and sizzling keys. The song is well-placed on the project, coming before Woods’ moving testimony of his own healing from AIDS. This personal tale leads easily into the string-laden, dramatic “God Still Heals.” You’ll enjoy the bouncy R&B groove of “Sunshine,” featuring the soulful Candy West.
The project loses some energy from that point forward, moving into the slower territory of “Bid Me to Come,” “You Mean the World to Me,” and the atmospheric “Wanna Be Where You Are.” These tracks feature Wood’s silky vocals, still strong, but a certain passion is missing that would lift them from the ballad realm into worship. They’re not bad songs, but they could just as easily be on a Ray Kelly CD as a gospel album. “I Lift My Hands” has the same tempo, but delivered live, it has a livelier feel. Enhanced by Woods’ on point exhortations, it is actually quite soothing and moving.
The album closes powerfully with the live funk-driven “God Is,” featuring The Tri-City Singers working hard under Woods’ energetic guidance. It burns with a hot R&B sizzle and is the perfect windup for this Gospel project from DeWayne Woods and When Singers Meet.
