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The field of praise and worship may be decades old in Christian music, but only in recent years has it gained more prevalence in the realm of gospel. Powerhouse singer and seasoned session vocalist Darwin Hobbs is no neophyte to the subgenre, having previously lent his expansive range to a wide variety of worship albums, most notably Michael W. Smith's Worship records. But with the aptly titled Worshipper—his fourth album for EMI Gospel—Hobbs reinvents himself from the ground up.

Previously content with lending his Fred Hammond-like pipes to soulful R&B renderings, Hobbs has done a complete one-eighty, taking on an energetic style similar to Israel & New Breed's Live from Another Level. Makes sense, considering that Israel Houghton and longtime collaborator Aaron Lindsey produced much of Worshipper, injecting it with ridiculous amounts of funk grooves and infectious brass treatments reminiscent of Earth, Wind & Fire, or Kool & the Gang before they went pop.

But it's clearly Hobbs and his skilled backup vocalists running the show here. Hobbs arranged most of the vocal parts, not allowing the breathtaking musicianship to overshadow the album's intended spirit of adoration. From the irresistible, horn-drenched "Lord, We Rejoice" to the dramatic ten-minute "Worshipper's Medley," the soloist remains vertically focused, setting up the album like a seamless Sunday morning service. Like Houghton, Hobbs wants to make an impact beyond ethnic and denominational preferences, turning in funky, rhythm-laden versions of Chris Tomlin's "Forever" and Matt Redman's "Better Is One Day"—both terrific enough to rival the originals.

By the time producer Tommy Sims takes over the boards for the slow-burning "Grace" and the throwback jam "All Sides," Worshipper is already a triumph, easily one of the most accomplished albums of the year—worship, gospel or otherwise.

© Andree Farias, subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

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