The Vine - Musandipfuure Album Review

The VINE is a Seventh Day Adventist Choral Group that was formed in July 2014. As taken from their website, their main goal is to Spread the Adventist message and bring hope to people in this generation. Got to know about the group when I bumped into their track Musandipfuure on YouTube some weeks before the album was released and it won me over, loved the style and how refreshing it sounded. After that researched about the group and to my joy realized they would be releasing an album in the following weeks. Could not manage to attend the launch but a friend of mine attended and she was blown away. She urged me to definitely get the album and hear for myself...and a couple of weeks after the release have done just that.

Was surprised that the group used instruments in their music because from my knowledge, artists from the SDA church do not use instruments, they sing acapella. Have always been a fan of their acapella music over the years since the Shower Power days so was excited to see how they would sound when performing with instruments. Have now given myself some time to listen to their project and today will be sharing with you my views and thoughts on the album.

The album contains 13 songs and as usual will be doing a track by track review: 

1. Musandipfuure
This is the title track and also the leading single from the album. On this track they are saying unto the Lord; do not pass me by, hear my cries and when you bless others also bless me. Its inspired by a popular song which many know, regardless they did a superb job with this version of theirs, it sounds awesome. This was the first track I heard from them and I fell in love, the vocals are beautifully done. The production is grand, love how they employed the use of a orchestra on the instrumental, it gives the track a lovely unique feel. 

2. Bambelela (feat Ayo Solanke)
On this track they are saying Hold On to Jesus Christ, stay with him, walk with him for he is our Savior and in him there is joy, happiness and a fulfilling life. This is a lively jam, its more uptempo as compared to other tracks on the album. The production is done well, love the saxophone touch. The vocals are done well, the Vine were on point, Ayo Solanke also delivered a strong performance, his vocals remind me of Pastor G though. By the end of the track you will be singing along, its easy to follow.

3. All Is Well
On this track they are saying as long as you believe in the Lord, All Is Well, he will take care of you. You have been hurt, lied to, talked down upon but all will be well, the Lord has your back. The production is done quite well, the track is soulful and arrangement is done well. The vocals are executed very well again, the people chosen to lead this track did a superb job.

4. Washes
On this track they are saying the blood of the holy lamb Jesus Christ washes white as snow. You are not perfect, your have your shortcomings but the blood of the lamb will wash you white as snow, removing all the stain. The vocals are beautifully done, these guys have experience and it shows, the overall production is done well. 

5. Sweet Hour of Prayer
This track has that magical, Christmas carol feel to it, it sounds like a soundtrack to those sweet animated movies. The vocals all add to that feel, the progressions and harmonies give you that happy Christmas feeling. The production is done well, the instrumental is quite minimal, leaving all the spotlight to the vocals.

6. Holy
On this track they are exalting the Lord, telling him how Holy He is. The vocal harmonization is superb, love it. The keyboard and strings are also on point, complimenting the vocals well and help create an enchanting atmosphere.

7. Mufudzi
On this track they are saying unto the Lord that you are my shepherd, you give me hope when I have no hope, you show me a way when I am lost, you are the comforter of my soul. The production is done quite well, its laid back and lays a platform for the vocals to take center stage. The vocals are also done well, love the harmony

8. In Jesus's Name

On this track they are saying there is Power in Jesus's name, his name causes things to happen. The production is done well, it follows this soulful sound, the track is arranged quite well. As has been the norm throughout the album the vocals are lovely. This is one of those tracks that you expect to hear as a soundtrack on those emotional and religious movies, it would fit perfectly.

9. God's Purpose
On this track they are saying my purpose is to serve the Lord, exalting His glory is our purpose. The Lord has given us different talents so we could use them to give all the glory unto Him. The track is produced quite well, the instrumental is arranged well and the vocals are good.

10. Wena Uyingcwele (feat Thokozo Mbambo)
On this track the group teamed up with South African artist Thokozo Mbambo to deliver this lovely worship jam. On the track they are telling the Lord that You Only are Holy, they are telling him how beautiful he is and how much they love Him. The vocal performances are done well, Thokozo blended well with the group, they complimented each other very well. The production is also done equally well, it's one of those tracks that get you moving to the beat in worship.

11. Come Child
WOW!! That was my first reaction as I listened to this track, it's beautiful. The productions is done well and complements the vocals superbly well. The vocals are awesome, the lead singers my word!!!, some people are blessed with lovely voices. The backing vocals are also equally awesome, creating a powerful and amazing harmony which sweeps you away and creates a smile on your face. On the track they are singing about the abounding Love of the Lord, how the Lord loves us more than we think, more than we can ever imagine and he is full of mercy.

12. Amazing Grace (feat Nigel Nyangombe)
On this track they do a rendition of the classic Amazing Grace hymn and they did quite a good job. The vocal performances as usual are done well, the group really knows how to execute their vocals and it has shown all over the album. The production is stripped down to only the vocals and keyboard. On the track they sing about the amazing grace of the Lord, for his grace is for all to enjoy.

13. Ngokulandela

On the last track of the album, they switch to a sound familiar to many, the type of worship music that you get to find in many churches all over the nation and region. The vocal performance as usual is done well, the group showed they can be quite diverse when it comes to style. The production is done well, this is one of the few tracks where the group employed the use of a full band.

Stream The Album: Musandipfuure on Spotify

So ya that's it for the album and I have to say, it's a refreshing sound and have enjoyed listening to the project. Its refreshing in that I am not an SDA member so this type of sound is not that common in my life, its a different type of gospel sound and I'm loving it. 

The vocals are amazing, the vocal ranges and harmonies that I have heard on this project are second to none. They are undoubtedly the best part of the whole album, the vocals are just beautiful and lovely. I sometimes think to myself that I can sing reasonably well but after listening to this project, have realized how far I am. Listening to Come Child I could not help it but say wow, some people are blessed with lovely vocals. Love how those charged with singing lead do not opt for screaming as many do to showcase their vocal range in a composed manner. An observation I made is that the songs sung in Vernacular sound better, maybe it just because I prefer that more, they are easier to follow and better. The only downside on the vocals part is that sometimes the tracks  (Sweet Hour Of Prayer for example) are hard to follow, as the pronunciations are not as audible on some parts, you will enjoy the harmonies and progressions but the words are sometimes hard to follow.

The album is produced very well, the tracks are full and the quality is superb, if you realize that this is a live album the quality gets even more impressive. The album in overall is soulful, its mellow, the kind of sound you listen to when you wants some peace of mind. One downside on the production is that some of the tracks feel too much Christmassy (i don't know if that's a word), sometimes it feels as if am listening to a sweet Christmas movie soundtrack compilation, and that took away some of the spark for me.

In overall however have enjoyed this album, have enjoyed quite a number of tracks namely: Musandipfuure, Bambelela, Mufudzi, Come Child, Wena Uyigcwele, All Is Well... truthfully have enjoyed the whole project, the above mentioned are just my top picks and there is no song I dislike on this album. I definitely recommend it, if you want some different (given you are not an SDA member) and beautiful gospel music this is the album for you.

My Overall Rating: 7/10

Feel free to share your views and thoughts on the album.

Proud_Zimbo