Gospel is a confident outlet for Paris’ stellar, soulful voice

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Though her gospel influence shines through her raspy, melismatic vocals, Mica Paris has largely avoided recording the hymns and spirituals that framed her Pentecostal childhood. ‘I came from so much control in the church. I was trying to escape that,’ Paris said in an interview with the Irish Times last year.

But the British soul icon returns to her roots with Gospel, her first studio release since 2009’s Born Again. The scope is fairly liberal: Paris tackles traditional gospel (‘Oh Happy Day’, ‘Amazing Grace’), African-American spirituals (‘Go Down Moses’, ‘Motherless Child’), contemporary anthems, perhaps with a latent religious subtext (‘Something Inside So Strong’, ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’), and two originals which, though secular in content, have a clear church influence (‘The Struggle’, ‘Mamma Said’).

The piece is faulted at times by pedestrian arrangements, with an occasional disconnect between Paris and the pre-recorded backing tracks. The Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir, which provides backing throughout, is too restrained – displacing several songs into an awkwardly middle-of-the-road space. Renditions of ‘Oh Happy Day’ and U2’s ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’ are underwhelming as a consequence. (One wonders whether the album would have fared better as a live recording?)

Yet, in many ways this is the album a lot of Mica Paris fans have been waiting for: Songs which allow Paris’ marvellous voice, and all its colours and textures, to shine. Her instrument, which drew comparisons to Anita Baker when Paris first came on the scene in the late 1980s, has deepened beautifully with age.

And there are some rousing vocal performances. Paris lets rip at the climax of Foreigner’s ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’, drawing out the gospel influence of the original (which featured backing vocals from Jennifer Holliday and the New Jersey Mass Choir).

She allows her voice to shred as she catches on a high note, opting for impassioned imperfection over polish. The heaviness and depth to Paris’ vocal imbues spirituals ‘Go Down Moses’ and ‘Motherless Child’ with a conviction and confident storytelling. Flecks of bluesy guitar swirl around Paris on original song ‘The Struggle’, where she sings of the challenges of navigating this world as a Black woman.

The strongest interpretation is a rendition of Thomas Dorsey’s ‘Take My Hand, Oh Precious Lord’. With Jools Holland’s piano to anchor her, Paris becomes absorbed in the song; her runs and inflections spill out of her.