Many Different Roads

Incredibly gifted and prolific soloist Gladys Knight released her first inspirational album in 1998. While many of her past albums carried music of significance, rightfully earning her a place in the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, this is the first album on which she focused entirely on the spiritual side of music. And yes, this is the same Gladys Knight as Gladys Knight & the Pips. As one would expect from a seasoned artist like Knight, the entire album is musically sound from a critic's standpoint, and the messages of the lyrics leave an indelible impression on the listener. One song stands out for its danceable music, but deeply important message — "Everybody." She relates an experience of chatting with an ignored homeless man and sings the reminder: Everybody needs someone to hold on to/Everybody needs someone to love them true/Everybody needs someone to treat them right/How about you/How about you. The music on this album cannot be neatly confined to any one genre. It has a little bit of soul, a bit of rock, and a bit of gospel. And the result is an album that has a huge amount of appeal for not only her longtime fans, but for the new audience she attracted in 1997 when she joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It's representative of a new focus at that time of her life, but is not representative of her entire body of work. For a Christian seeking something a little less stodgy, this album will be a welcome addition to their collection. ~ Dacia A. Blodgett-Williams, Rovi