PASTOR T.L. BARRETT & THE YOUTH FOR CHRIST CHOIR
LIKE A SHIP (WITHOUT A SAIL) (ICE WIND VINYL) (NUMERO GROUP)
Recorded in 1971 by a 27-year-old pastor and an after school program choir, Like A Ship is a stirring and powerful meditation on the wayward aftermath of the Civil Rights Movement.
Tracked with the help of Chess/Cadet maestros Gene Barge, Phil Upchurch, and Richard Evans, the album is a mix of euphoric gospel and Mayfield-esque political soul, with sleigh bells, hand claps, and jazzy piano stabs.
Sampled by T.I., Kanye, and Khaled, Barrett created a rapturous, crossover gospel classic that's still wildly relevant.