"One True Vine", the outpouring of gospel goodness from veteran tunesmith and birthday girl (she's 74 today) Mavis Staples, demonstrates how overcome by faith she is, and how she and her backing band employ liberal tempo changes to do it. "Holy Ghost" is sung from such an undeniably real place. That low, throaty style paints the scene of threadbare naked church devotional. Sure the backup drum inches her along but you can tell by how each note is stretched for maximum impact that she's in no hurry to escape God's healing powers. "Every Step" shifts the mojo's conversation to at least third gear, although fourth is kind of implied. "Can You Get To That" runs in the spirit of "Be good to others for in the end your deeds, good or bad, will tell the tale of what sort of mortal you were." Mavis extends her warm thoughts for her Creator in "Far Celestial Shore". This playfulness is hard to turn away from. Not only that, the miles from the urban din imagery constructed here, the valley of crystal waters for instance, comes across as a serenity gilded vacation you can take without putting down your I-Pod. Mavis rides her wave of joy as high as humanly possible and the results are incandescent. "What Are They Doing In Heaven Today" has your need for reflection covered. Mavis asks the titular question with a curiosity that knows no set age, season, religion, sex, or ethnicity. I can easily picture her rocking back and forth in a well-worn easy chair while singing. Sure there's heartbreak for the fallen but there's a larger measure of relief for the suffering her friends no longer have to experience. "Sow Good Seeds" opens with a guitar a bit on the swampy Bayou-hatched side. From there Mavis takes to her pulpit to preach virtue, sowing the seeds of good, seeds worth their weight in gold in the final analysis. "I Like The Things About Me" plays up how wonderful it is to be comfortable in one's own skin. It's a time forged nugget of personal victory that Mavis wears with pronounced gravitas. "Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind On Jesus) derives its cosmic energy from fleetness of pacing. All Mavis has to do is step into His reassuring arms and the engaging revival is on. Closing out the love fest is the title track, flavorful, deliberate, fully realized tribute to the guiding hand. Mavis does strut her stuff during this compilation with a ebullient choir now and then, but I'd say it's window dressing in service of a singular voice which can raise many a roof. There's lots of juicy fruit growing from "One True Vine". You'd be wise to take a bite.
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