Independent

Release Date: February 24th 2023

Reviewed by: Joshua Andre

The Walls Group– Four Walls (Amazon mp3/iTunes)

Track Listing:

1. He’ll Make A Way (feat. Teddy Riley)
2. Crazy
3. I Will
4. Hallelujah
5. Agnus Dei (feat. Stevie Wonder)
6. I Need You
7. So Into You
8. Run Away
9. Your Name Jesus
10. Human Nature
11. I’m Good With You (feat. Paul Jackson Jr.)
12. Stand Still
13. Come In

If you haven’t jumped onto The Walls Group bandwagon, it’s a fact that you are definitely missing out, and that you should jump onto the bandwagon now or soonish. Vocal groups dominated the CCM industry for a while in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, with Avalon, Point of Grace, Out Of Eden, The Katinas and Zoegirl all playing their part in delivering heartfelt and inspiring worship ballads with strong voices and a big orchestral and/or movie soundtrack sound. Now as each of the aforementioned groups are either on an extended break, or have disbanded, or have moved into a different genre, or have in fact kept on going but have faced their fanbase ‘dwindling’ in some respect; should it be the time for us to lament? No, never, as The Walls Group is here!

A band of siblings residing in Texas, Darrell, Rhea, Paco and Ahjah Walls have gladly and brilliantly taken up the mantle of being practically one of the only CCM gospel vocal groups around today, while also adding their own relevant and refreshing musical flavour to their songs as well, appealing to both this generation and the last. With their debut album Fast Forward dropping in 2014, and inspiring me and garnering praise from listeners and critics, the quartet dropped The Other Side in 2017 (not reviewed on this site), and just last year- Four Walls. And now that it’s been a year since the release of one of the most inspiring gospel albums I’ve heard recently, can I quickly outline my take and opinion on these 13 songs?

For us, authenticity is key. I feel like we can’t get up here on stage and set ourselves to a position of godliness that just is not true for any human being. It’s a continuous walk of sanctification and a daily walk with Christ. I also think it’s being bold about faith and the fact that our struggles go hand and hand with our faith.

There are a lot of new generation gospel artists coming up right now. In the next five years, I feel like gospel music is going to be revolutionary. I use that word because it’s going to be some people knocking some walls down and really tearing down old constructs so that individuals can be seen in a different way.

The Bible says that the student is not greater than their master. He was persecuted and hated for walking in the spirit of truth, and so if you decide to follow Christ, it’s not just an ‘I am following him because it’s cool and trendy’ because it’s really not. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.

I don’t think that a ‘review’ per se is necessary, given that it’s been more than a year since this project was released. But what I will say is this. Darrell, Rhea, Paco and Ahjah Walls inject vitality and freshness into these gospel melodies, and inspire us and encourage us all the same to walk the Christian walk, even though it is hard sometimes. “He’ll Make A Way” provides us with hope that Jesus will be right beside us and helping us in whatever we are facing or struggling; while the upbeat and celebratory “Crazy” (similar in theme to Newsboys’ song of the same name), speaks about the stand each of the four siblings are making for Jesus- being ‘crazy’ and ‘radically saved’ for Jesus Christ and the gospel. “I Will”, a piano ballad, is an Out Of Eden-like melody that declares that we will always love Jesus because of everything He’s done for us (‘…so much more than a feeling, and that’s why, why I’m staying right here, if I tried to leave I’d know that there’s no place I can hide, Your love makes all doubt disappear…’); while the spontaneous free-worship melody “Hallelujah” is essentially the four siblings praising Jesus simply because of who He is, and the Michael W. Smith covered “Agnus Dei” is superbly recorded, especially with Stevie Wonder present on the harmonica. “I Need You” outlines our need all the time for Jesus through a prayerful and vulnerable admission; while the powerful and inspiring mid-tempo ballad “So Into You” speaks about being so on fire for Jesus, so much that you want to shout it out from the rooftops of Jesus’s goodness and love.

“Run Away”, one of the most musically experimental tracks on the already exceptional album, speaks about how we as believers could never run away from Jesus and His unending love, even if we wanted to; while one of my favourite standouts on this project is the vertical worship moment “Your Name Jesus”, giving us a 2000’s Hillsong Worship feel. “Human Nature”, a heartfelt and inspiring cover, originally recorded by Michael Jackson, is a vibrant and eclectic recording; while the siblings shine once again on the testimony-like gospel melody “I’m Good With You”, about being satisfied and content with your life and the testimony you can give to point people to Jesus and His love, grace, mercy and providence in your lives. “Stand Still”, sung from God’s perspective, instructs us to stand still and to know that God is right beside us (similar in theme to Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Be Still And Know”; while Four Walls ends with the earnest and reflective prayer “Come In”, asking God to come and fill up our lives and show us more of Himself.

Just by this album alone, we are met with an honest and impacting testimony of a group that provides us a unique look at the infusion of electronic, gospel, soul, pop, praise and CCM. Though I may not have reviewed Fast Forward (and we never reviewed The Other Side); I am a fan of the band now, as Darrell, Rhea, Ahjah and Paco have each stretched their musical geniuses, vocal and writing prowess to beyond their years. The Walls Group was one of the standout new artists of the year back in 2014, and this year, they are showing us why with this superb worship/gospel album! So check out this powerful and musically different yet inspiring album- you won’t be disappointed! Well done Darrell, Rhea, Paco and Ahjah for such a poignant and reflective worship/gospel album and one of my favourite worship albums of 2023!

3 songs to listen to: I will, Agnus Dei, Your Name Jesus

Score: 5/5

RIYL: Kirk Franklin, Lecrae, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Naomi Raine, Maverick City Music