SHAZAM

The 2008 edition of the popular WOW Gospel franchise continues to offer an expansive, if a bit after the fact, look at some of the latest happenings in the world of contemporary gospel. For those who make it a point to buy only one, all-encompassing collection of gospel music a year, this two-disc set more than fits the bill. But those who follow the genre closely will notice that, while extensive, a portion of the track listing is simply too old to be included in a compilation that's supposed to comprise some of the year's top songs. Kirk Franklin's "Looking for You," CeCe Winans' "All That I Need," Donnie McClurkin's "Only You Are Holy," and Mary Mary's "Yesterday," for example, all come from 2005 releases. More current selections from the likes of Tramaine Hawkins, Israel & New Breed, Myron Butler & Levi, and J. Moss offset the datedness, but overall, it's hard to not feel a bit underwhelmed by the older stuff. ~ Andree Farias, Rovi