Resurrection

by Nicol Sponberg

Overview

Resurrection is Nicol Sponberg's second solo outing. Here, with producer Mark Heimermann, she takes some chances and showcases the full-blown power of her considerable voice. While the music is made up of mostly ultra-slick, lightweight, funky dance and R&B tunes, there are some surprises. For starters, the album opener, "Jacob's Well" is a clear standout. Sponberg sounds like Annie Lennox trying to imitate Aretha Franklin. And no, that's not a bad thing. With its slow, dirge-like tempo, it retains the tension and power of a gospel track set to a dance beat. With its low-end bassline and programmed beats, it feels synthetic until Sponberg opens her mouth and delivers the entire tune to the listener with not only conviction, but plenty of chops as well -- without oversinging. "Not You Again" feels like an updated late-'70s disco tune, but once again her voice, with its studied yet emotional delivery, is what carries it over. The title track is pure pop dreck, however, and not even an instrument like hers can save its schmaltzy production, overworked arrangement, and crummy lyric and melody line. "Anything and Everything" is a standard praise number with some breathy backing vocals added for background texture. And that's the problem. Sponberg's talent is massive. She is a fine, perhaps even gifted singer and understands the ambiguities and nuances in a lyric line, but she is seldom given the chance to put her own tunes across that way. One suspects the uptight Nash Vegas suits at Sony and her producer have decided to amp everything up in terms of drama to get it across to an audience who has been told -- no matter what they feel -- that they can accept only white-bread music, and who indeed may be afraid of true spiritual and emotional conviction. The set is all too snappy and polished and doesn't jive well with the raw edge in Sponberg's voice. The production and song choices lack imagination or taste. Only the depth and breadth of the singer, who has to work twice as hard as she should to rise above Heimermann's muddled mess of sonic nonsense, make Resurrection plausible or listenable. Tell you what -- put her in a room with a horn section, a B-3, some guitars and drums, and a batch of songs that reflect what she's putting across, and she will not only blow you away, but the angels in heaven, led by God himself, will dance their wings off. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	08/10/2004
Label:	Curb
UPC:	0715187884724

Tracks

1. Jacob's Well
2. Not You Again
3. Resurrection
4. Anything and Everything
5. Safe
6. Crazy in Love
7. All That I Believe In
8. The Spirit in Me
9. A Better Place
10. Hallelujah

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Nicol Sponberg   Primary Artist,Vocals
Pete Kipley   Guitar (Bass),Bass,Guitar,Keyboards,Guitar (Acoustic)
Jerry McPherson   Guitar
Jay Jay Johnson   Guitar (Acoustic)
Wanda Watkins   Choir/Chorus
Dan Needham   Drums
David Davidson   Strings
Javier Solis   Percussion
Mark Heimermann   Keyboards
Jackie Street   Bass
Nissi Walls   Vocals (Background)
Brent Milligan   Bass
George Cocchini   Guitar
Dan Muckala   Piano,Keyboards
Ternae Jordan Jr.   Choir/Chorus
Demitris Chaney   Choir/Chorus
Jennifer ONeal   Choir/Chorus
Adrian Tharpe   Choir/Chorus
Latasha Walker   Choir/Chorus
Cedric Sesley   Choir/Chorus

Technical Credits

Mark Heimermann   Audio Production,Composer,Producer,Drum Programming
Jay Joyce   Composer
Glenn Spinner   Engineer
Zarc Porter   Composer
Don Poythress   Composer
Christine Stahl   Make-Up,Hair Stylist
Ted Jensen   Mastering
Steve MacMillan   Mixing
Dan Needham   Programming,Drum Programming
Nicol Sponberg   Composer
Bryan Lenox   Composer
Pete Kipley   Drum Programming
Nate Sallie   Composer
Nick Trevisick   Composer
Brian White   Composer
Dan Muckala   Drum Programming
Todd Robbins   Mixing,Engineer
Bryan Stewart   A&R
Star Klem   Wardrobe
Mark Pennells   Composer
Hayley Murphy   Photography
Tiffany Arbuckle-Lee   Composer
Cedric Sesley   Vocal Arrangement
PJ Heimermann   Production Coordination
Nissi Walls   Composer