CD Review

According to their press release, The Lee Boys are “Florida’s Finest African-American Sacred Steel Artists.” Of course, this statement begs the question: what is a sacred steel artist? Though generally well-versed in musical genres, this reviewer approached this album feeling hopelessly uninformed about sacred steel, the “hottest movement on the music scene these days,” as the press release further gushed.

As it turns out, “sacred steel” is a sound based in the 1930s introduction of steel guitar into a Floridian Pentecostal Church, the House of God. Evidently still based out of that church (indeed, per the aforementioned press release, a “hallmark of the church”), sacred steel as interpreted by The Lee Boys is a mix of gospel, funk, blues, and a heap of slide steel.

If gospel is your thing, and you particularly like rockin’ out, this may be exactly your cup o’ tea. If not, though, the boisterous whoopin’ and sliding of Say Yes! (with a touch of cruise ship faux-excitement; “if you’re happy and you know it, say ‘amen’” is but one ecstatic lyric) could be exactly what you need to push you over the edge. Though clearly dynamic, talented musicians, the over-the-top gospel/soul spirit (no pun intended) of this album requires a dedicated listener with a strong interest in this genre, or a grand willingness to be wowed by pure musicianship. In short, this album will likely appeal only to fans of the sacred steel sound, for whom perhaps it will indeed make them “feel good like nothing else can.”