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Group Name: Soul’d Out Quartet
Website: www.souldoutquartet.com
Album Title: “Ain’t Nobody”
Song Titles:

1. He’s Coming Back Soon
2. I Have A Story To Tell
3. Ain’t Nobody
4. Please Remember Me
5. There’s A Bigger Blessing
6. Heaven Medley
7. There Is A Fountain
8. We Shall Rise
9. A Wonderful Savior
10. Joseph Got His Tomb Back
11. Ain’t Nobody (Reprise)

Soul’d Out was formed as a trio in 2001.  In 2004, they re-formed as a quartet.  Based out of the state of Ohio, the group currently consists of Matt Rankin (lead/owner), Dusty Barrett (tenor), Tanner Stahl (baritone), Matt Fouch (bass), and Michael Howard (piano).

“Ain’t Nobody” is the third album the group has produced.  It is done in a progressive Southern Gospel style.  The album cover features a clear picture of the group with the group name and album title across the top, and it unfolds into a square poster of the group.  The poster is nice, but I’d rather see the song lyrics instead.  With the exception of the two songs that are in public domain, Matt Rankin wrote every song on the album.

That having been said, let’s take a look at the songs on the album.

The album kicks off with the up-tempo “He’s Coming Back Soon”.  This is the first single release from this album, and it’s already getting good airplay at radio.  Each group member gets a small solo line here and there, and the tenor and bass vocals will impress quartet lovers everywhere.  Song #2 is a medium-tempo number called “I Have A Story To Tell”.  Lead vocalist Matt Rankin is featured here, and his vocals are clear and strong.  He has a good range as well, although he might want to work on smoothing out the vibrato in his voice just a bit.  Next up is the title track, “Ain’t Nobody”.  This is a medium-to-up-tempo song that once again features Matt Rankin.  This one should merit consideration for a possible radio release at some point.

Song #4 slows things down.  “Please Remember Me” is a slower power ballad that features baritone vocalist Tanner Stahl on the first verse and Matt Rankin on the second verse.  The medium-tempo “There’s A Bigger Blessing” is up next, and it’s a classic-sounding bass feature.  Matt Fouch handles this feature excellently.  He has a sound reminiscent of Christian Davis or Tim Duncan.  He has a very deep natural range, and his vocals are smooth and on pitch.  I think he is going to be one of the better bass singers in the industry in the future.  The sixth song is a familiar public domain song called “Heaven Medley”.  I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this medley- especially when tenor vocalist Dusty Barrett started in on “Looking For A City”.  He did one more key change than I thought he could conceivably do since he started it in a high key to begin with.  However, his vocals were crisp and clear the entire time.  If you like good tenor singing, then Dusty Barrett will not disappoint you.  The tempo then slows down again for the next song, “There Is A Fountain”.  This is the first song to completely feature baritone vocalist Tanner Stahl, and I think that he just might have the smoothest voice in the group.  He also has a nice range- of course that is needed to sing baritone under vocalists such as Barrett and Rankin.  This song should also merit consideration for a possible radio release at some point.

The eighth song is the up-tempo “We Shall Rise”.  Tenor vocalist Dusty Barrett has the solo on the second verse, and it’s nice to hear him in his lower register for a change.  This is followed by a slower, familiar hymn called “A Wonderful Savior”.  This entire song is a solo feature by Dusty Barrett.  Again, he comes down out of the rafters to deliver a smooth solo with depth and feeling.  Song #10 is an up-tempo, hard-driving number entitled “Joseph Got His Tomb Back”.  Every once in a while, a song comes along with lyrics whose way of looking at things causes you to stop and think.  This is one of them.  The album ends with a reprise of the title track, “Ain’t Nobody”.  As much as I like the song, the reprise was unneeded on this album.  The previous song would have been the perfect ending to this album.

This was my first exposure to Soul’d Out Quartet, and I have quickly become a fan.  This is a talented group of vocalists with good range.  The songwriting and song selection was definitely a strength of the album.  Without a doubt, this is a group on the rise.  The only thing I would have liked to have heard more of would be some arrangements with tighter harmony.  Most of the arrangements had the tenor soaring in the clouds, the bass hitting some LOW notes, and the lead and baritone somewhere in between.  While each of these guys has the range to pull this off, I would really like to hear them try a few more songs where the harmonies are closer together.  I think it would really enhance their overall sound and versatility. 

I’d like to thank Soul’d Out Quartet for giving me the opportunity to review this album.  I’m looking for great things to come from these guys in the future.  Overall, I would give this album a 9 out of 10 microphones!

Favorites: “He’s Coming Back Soon”, “Heaven Medley”, “There Is A Fountain”, and “Joseph Got His Tomb Back”