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Group Name: Brothers Forever
Website: www.brothersforever.net
Album Title: “Sheltered”
Song Titles:
1. I Feel A Blessing Coming On
2. That’s Good Enough (Gospel Singer Wannabe Song)
3. I Can’t Forget The Day
4. Be Alright
5. Whenever I Speak His Name
6. More Than I Know
7. Showers Of Blessings
8. It’s Better
9. I Am Him
10. More Than That
11. The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power

Brothers Forever came into existence in 2004 as a quartet.  They have since become a trio under the leadership of founding member and lead vocalist Curtis Hagy.  On this album, the other group personnel are baritone vocalist Gary Ballew and tenor vocalist Perry Jones. (Special Note: Since this album’s release, Perry Jones has resigned his position with Brothers Forever to join the Imperials as their tenor vocalist.  Brothers Forever is currently looking for a tenor vocalist.)

“Sheltered” is the group’s latest album.  The cover photo is a clear shot of the group members inside what looks to be a trailer of some sort.  I can honestly say I’ve never seen a cover photo like this used before! J  Inside, I was glad to find all the song lyrics along with another pleasant surprise- the group had listed the name of the lead vocalist on each song.  The album contains songs from such writers as Russ Taff, Jimmy Dooley, and Andrae Crouch.  Group members Curtis Hagy and Gary Ballew also contributed some writing.

Now, let’s take a look at each of the songs on the album.

Kicking things off is an up-tempo number called “I Feel A Blessing Coming On”.  This song features both Gary Ballew and Curtis Hagy, and it has a slightly progressive sound to it.  The group blend is pretty good here, especially with the guest addition of former bass vocalist Buford Light.  Lead vocalist Curtis Hagy is featured on the second song, a medium-tempo number entitled “That’s Good Enough”. (Also known as “The Gospel Singer Wannabe Song”.  Some people would look at the title of this song and think that it’s a shallow, fun-type song.  Well, the “fun” part fits, but it’s definitely not shallow.  It’s got a great message.  Curtis has a high range for a lead singer, sounding almost like a tenor at some parts.  Still, his voice is smooth and easy to listen to.  Song #3 is the decidedly up-tempo “I Can’t Forget The Day”.  This toe-tapper would be a great radio single at some point.

Song #4 is called “Be Alright”.  This medium-to-up-tempo, hard-driving song features lead vocalist Curtis Hagy, and we get a chance to hear him in a lower register than before.  He still has a smooth sound, which is probably one of the keys to the versatility of the group’s sound.  The next song is a medium-tempo song called “Whenever I Speak His Name”.  Baritone vocalist Gary Ballew is featured here, and I have to admit that his solo work is a bit distracting to listen to.  Don’t get me wrong- Ballew has a good voice.  He blends well with the other vocalists.  However, his vocals sound a bit forced.  His voice has a bit of a “gravelly” sound, and it sounds like he’s trying a bit too hard with the word pronunciation.  I think that he would sound much better if he would “loosen up” a bit and concentrate on smoother singing- the kind of singing you hear much of the time when he’s blending with the other vocalists.  The sixth song is the first true, slow ballad on the album.  Curtis Hagy is once again featured on “More Than I Know”.  The softer sound of this song is a nice contrast to the previous songs, and I especially enjoyed the duet work by Hagy and Perry Jones on the verses.  The blend of all three vocalists on the choruses is smooth as silk. 

The seventh song is a medium-tempo song called “Showers Of Blessings”.  This is tenor vocalist Perry Jones’ first feature on the album.  Jones has a smooth, clear voice that doesn’t sound like it’s straining one bit.  You can also tell that he’s singing full-voice, not falsetto.  Overall, it’s a very strong sound. Song #8 is called “It’s Better”.  This medium-tempo song features Gary Ballew, and while his vocals are a bit smoother than his previous feature, the issue with the word pronunciation is still there.  Still, the blend is good here with the lead and tenor stacked above Ballew.  Next up is another slower, softer ballad entitled “I Am Him”.  This is another song that features Curtis Hagy. 

Gary Ballew and Curtis Hagy split the lead vocals on Song #10, a slower song called “More Than That”.  Finally, the album ends with an old Southern Gospel standard, “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power”.  This is a bass solo feature by former bass vocalist Buford Light, backed up by Ballew, Hagy, and Jones. 

Brothers Forever is definitely an up-and-coming group with a progressive Southern Gospel/Country sound.  I think that they have a good sound, although I’ll be anxious to see how that sound is affected by whomever comes on board as their new tenor singer.  Their vocals blend together well, and their song selection is strong.  They just need a little bit of work on their solo vocals to really polish their sound.  Overall, I would give this group an 8 out of a possible 10 microphones!

Favorites: “That’s Good Enough (Gospel Singer Wannabe Song)”, “I Can’t Forget The Day”, “Be Alright” and “Showers Of Blessings”