Written by: Delvin K. | Photo: Sunny War Anarchist Gospel Album
What you get is exactly 49 minutes and 34 seconds of an indescribably moving listening experience, of course it will be more (it has to be) due to the amount of times you will be forced to play certain tunes on repeat; – “Anarchist Gospel” is an impressive body of work by one musical powerhouse Sunny War: This 14-track collection takes you to places and makes you feel things, some of the tracks will take you to another dimension you didn’t even think was possible to conform to. Now this is talent, and talent like this these days is rare, and far between. We need to protect this musical angel at all costs; she deserves her flowers, which I am giving her right now while she can still smell them.
I have met very few artists who can quite live a song the way Sunny War effortlessly does. Her ability to transport her audience to different places and make them view through different lenses is a feat that can be matched by a few artists of her era. She is now leading a career destined to reach the summit of the charts and will remain planted there for very many years to come.
With, “Anarchist Gospel,” Sunny War reaffirms her status once again as a tremendous talent, a pioneering and dynamic songstress, and an influential global superstar. She is a cultural force and is rapidly becoming one of the most ubiquitous hit makers in the world. She has evolved into a dominating musical force with a diverse repertoire of songs that have led her to become one of the most revered black female entertainers out there.
With the push of the play button, you give consent to Sunny War and her guest performers to do with you as they please—you relinquish your power to control, let your guard down, and allow your most vulnerable self to take over. Sunny takes you to a distinct place—a place brimming with a coherent blend of the traditional blues and folk sounds over some luxuriously styled instrumentation and some of the most beautifully angelic, soulful, and powerful vocals your eardrums have been treated to.
It has been a long while since I listened to a full-length album in its entirety, from the first track all the way to the last, without skipping a single bit…only repeating some for that full-blown impact. Music of this nature is less heard and more experienced, and I just thank God for Sunny War because this is such an impeccable distillation of timeless music that cannot be usurped—at least not in this lifetime!
I do not know if you believe in magic, and Sunny warns that it can be tragic, but if you do, “Anarchist of the Gospel” is the closest thing to it, or maybe it surpasses it. I kept listening and listening, and for “No Reason” at all, I couldn’t get enough of that musical adventure over a lush and organic soundscape that really captivated my heart and mind. Mesmerizing with an emotionally resonant harmony, it also helps that this tune is a sing-along ensemble with undeniable danceable qualities.
The soulfully raw vocals over the bluesy landscape in “Shelter And Storm” featuring David Rawlings is soul-reaching and near mystical. And how difficult it is to summarize the strengths of something so sublime!
There’s a lot of working together in “Love’s Death Bed” (feat. Allison Russell and Chris Pierce) to make it an immersive and impressive orchestra—from the artistic expression in the composition to the fullness of sound achieved by the unusual and incredibly complementary collection of instruments that comprise the trio.
I fear I lack the words to convey the true depths of my appreciation for this entire collection…this one deserves a Grammy, and I mean it in every way!
Follow the attached link and savor this cathartic listening experience like there’s no tomorrow…there probably never will be!
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