Thankful

The generally earthy passions of soul and R&B can sometimes mask their very intimate connection to black gospel music, a fact that isn't lost on veteran L.A. group The Whispers. During their late-`70s to early-`80s peak they were churning out silky pop-R&B hits like "And the Beat Goes On" and "Rock Steady," up-tempo dance tracks that fit easily within the decadent club sounds of the post-disco era. Still going strong nearly 30 years later, the group have refocused their energies on music for praise with their 2009 effort, THANKFUL. And if such a revamp suggests that the Whispers' music is now a scrubbed, anodyne version of its former self, nothing can be further from the truth as funky grooves and soulful harmonies attest to a group reinvigorated by the change to a spiritual format.