maybe it's because the Lenten season's upon us, but i've been listening to a lot of gospel and gospel-related projects lately. currently in heavy rotation within my mp3 jukebox are the following:

VARIOUS ARTISTS - Heaven's Radio
this is a collection of vintage gospel and radio broadcast excerpts compiled with loving care by Kevin Nutt, host of the fantastic Sinner's Crossroads radio show on WFMU. the station's currently in telethon mode and asking for donations from their listeners. there are a vast number of "DJ premiums" that you can get if you donate a certain amount. Heaven's Radio is Kevin's premium from 2004, now made available online via the WFMU blog. apparently, he put together a funk gospel premium for this year. i only imagine...

GEEEZ 'N' GOSH - My Life With Jesus
GEEEZ 'N' GOSH - Nobody Knows
an Atom Heart project. it's like gospel glitch. sanctified click-house, if you will. totally taken aback with these releases, both of them quite beautiful. some of it's for quiet reflection, some of it can be worked into a house set. if you want to know more, i go into further detail here.

VARIOUS ARTISTS - Soul Gospel
just copped this one the other day. not straight up gospel, but focuses on how gospel influenced soul music and how those with gospel backgrounds made the crossover into soul while still retaining that gospel feel to their music. so you have some gospel, some soul, and songs that are somewhere in between. artists include Aretha Franklin, The Staple Singers, Della Reese, Bobby Bland, Clarence Smith...this one's great. don't see it leaving my jukebox for quite some time.