Jesus Is Born
by Sunday Service Choir
  • Record Label: N/A
  • Release Date: Dec 25, 2019
User Score
6.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 32 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 32
  3. Negative: 6 out of 32
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  1. lulabymusic
    Feb 2, 2020
    10
    ____ "Jesus Is Born" turned out to be a completely accessible creation, even for people who have nothing to do with religion. It allows you to treat yourself as an independent musical work along with other genres. This music, created by voices, in the rhythms of funk, jazz and rhythm and blues, filled with dynamic strength and emotions. She inspires, she delights, she gives a great charge____ "Jesus Is Born" turned out to be a completely accessible creation, even for people who have nothing to do with religion. It allows you to treat yourself as an independent musical work along with other genres. This music, created by voices, in the rhythms of funk, jazz and rhythm and blues, filled with dynamic strength and emotions. She inspires, she delights, she gives a great charge of energy.… Expand
  2. clem666
    Jul 7, 2023
    9
    Another brick in the easily forgotten wall of Kanye's best intentions and deeds. And what a enlighting brick. It is accessible, easy to listen, it keeps its freshness and cheerfulness through the multiple listens. I must have listened to the whole record at least ten times and up until fifty times for those I consider to be the most impressive tracks of it all: 'Back To Life', 'FatherAnother brick in the easily forgotten wall of Kanye's best intentions and deeds. And what a enlighting brick. It is accessible, easy to listen, it keeps its freshness and cheerfulness through the multiple listens. I must have listened to the whole record at least ten times and up until fifty times for those I consider to be the most impressive tracks of it all: 'Back To Life', 'Father Stretch' and 'Lift Up Your Voices'. These are for me the highlights of an album that made me smile each and everytime I gave it a chance. It made me lighter, more conscious and definitely more excited for the next tracks to come. It is varied, powerful, silent at times, but always astonishingly marvelous. It brings together an impressive array of sounds and vocal abilities, while maintaining a minimalist instrumental approach that pays tribute to it.

    Despite all the compliments I can address, there remains some minor letdowns as 'Balm In Gilead'. The album length also can be excessive. But it eventually turns up to be another strength because in my opinion: the record doesn't repeat itself (at least not too often or obviously). This point illustrates the way the Sunday Service Choir manages to remain original all along, renewing their approach from track to track.

    Some say I didn't dare to allow such a christian record to earn a notable 10/10. But we were definitely quite close to that.    … Expand
  3. Noxbits
    Jan 4, 2020
    9
    The album has a lot of emotion and it's a great piece of gospel music, great for beginners.
  4. Kyle_Peake
    Jan 4, 2020
    8
    Great album, gospel production is awesome on here. Just suffers from being too lengthy and a lack of vocals from West, with those additions I may very well give this a 10!!!
  5. draediamond
    Mar 16, 2020
    7
    As always, there are moments of pure bliss on this album but some of the album can be dull. The samples are the best part in my opinion. More thorough than Jesus Is King and really serves as an ode to his new journey.
  6. MusicGuyMack
    Jan 27, 2020
    7
    West letting his choir take center stage here proves to be the right call, as much of the passion, energy and soul lacking from "King" erupts joyfully from this record for a far superior listen, despite ongoing problems with excessive repetition/self-indulgence and production that feels curiously threadbare in places.
  7. kermie_the_frog
    Jan 5, 2020
    7
    Pretty sweet pure gospel record. I think people are forgetting that this is not exactly a Kanye album, more of a choral album from his choir.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. PopMatters
    Jan 23, 2020
    70
    The record is solid, perhaps even better than that. Many of the songs include dramatic breaks or shifts in tone and rhythm, and they're effective.
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  2. Pitchfork
    Jan 8, 2020
    74
    There is very little club to be found on Jesus Is Born—it is a pure gospel album. One of the most radical elements of the album is what’s absent: Kanye’s voice. Instead, he’s assembled a massive choir to channel his Christian message in a joyous, all-consuming wave of sound.
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  3. Exclaim
    Jan 6, 2020
    70
    Regardless of your level of faith or denomination, the 19-track album is accessible enough from a craft and sanctified standpoint. Whether it's for interpolations of Kanye tracks like "Fade," with "Follow Me – Faith" — itself a gospelized riff off the classic house track by Aly-Us — or for a new take on "Ultralight Beam," off 2016's The Life of Pablo, there's a lot here to vibe off of.
    Read full review
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