Mavis Staples wails, testifies and soars on Have A Little Faith (Alligator). Though she’s being doing a little of everything as a solo artist, during her days with the Staple Singers Mavis would captivate audiences by moving into inspirational tunes, whether they were traditional folk numbers or venerable gospel numbers. “Ain’t No Better Than You,” “In Times Like These” and “At The End Of the Day” are message tracks with spiritual underpinnings, while “Step Into The Light,” “God Is Not Sleeping” and “There’s A Devil On The Loose” are blistering song sermons. Staples wraps the disc in high form with a great rendition of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” and has also included a nice tribute number to her late father “Pops Recipe.” While not as overarranged or choral-dominated as most contemporary gospel, this is – without question – modern religious music performed by a great singer operating in her best idiom.

Let’s Make A Record (Preservation Hall) by Louisiana’s Sister Gertrude Morgan takes gospel to its most elemental ends, praise and rhythm. Backed only by her tambourine, Morgan blends verbal testimony with stark, emphatic and sometimes almost unfathomable singing on such numbers as “He Wrote The Revelation,” “The Gift of God Is Eternal Life” and “I Am The Living Bread.” Sometimes the proceedings approach complete chaos, but Morgan always brings things back from the edge through whiplash, often eerie and ungainly lead vocals. This frequently seems like a shotgun wedding between an African music field recording and a fundamentalist bible study meeting, with Morgan’s vocals and tambourine holding everything together.