Anointed

    Anointed

    Columbus, Ohio8 reviews across 5 releases

    ccmgospelr&bsoul
    Discogs

    Anointed is a Christian vocal group formed in Columbus, Ohio, in 1988 while its members were still in high school. Its early records joined gospel phrasing to contemporary pop and R&B, with the singing kept in the foreground. The 1995 The Call drew attention through its strong harmonies and emotionally direct ballads; "It's in the Lord's Hands Now" treated a breakup as a matter of prayer rather than melodrama. By Under The Influence in 1996, guitars dominated a slick, nearly synth-free mix, moving the group toward adult-contemporary pop even as the title track and "Adore" retained a soul groove. The 1999 Anointed shifted again, adding electronic production to a more soulful gospel sound. The vocal blend remained its constant.

    Mary Tiller had left Anointed by February 1997, and reviewers especially missed her solos and place in the harmonies. After the 1999 album and an extended tour, Denise "Nee-C" Walls also departed; by 2001, the group had become a duo of siblings Steve Crawford and Da'dra Crawford Greathouse. Anointed then left Word Records in 2002 and signed with Sony's urban division. The 2003 compilation The Best Of Anointed documented the reduced lineup, while the 2005 album Now Is the Time brought divided responses: some heard a return to spiritual soul, while others found the production ordinary and the songs short of the earlier spark. Steve and Da'dra later led worship and pastored at Lakewood Church in Houston, while also issuing solo work digitally.

    5 releases reviewed