Previously known only to vinyl crate-diggers and serious music geeks, The Relatives were pioneers in the world of gospel music in the early 1970s. As The AV Club put it, they "fused traditional gospel, soul, and psychedelia by addressing social issues like war, poverty, and substance abuse."
Ahead of their time and too experimental for the traditional gospel music world, the band spent decades in obscurity until being rediscovered and reborn with their breakthrough 2013 release The Electric Word. Soon, they were playing at Bonnaroo, touring with Charles Bradley and Booker T. Jones, and featured by the New York Times and NPR Morning Edition.
Previously known only to vinyl crate-diggers and serious music geeks, The Relatives were pioneers in the world of gospel music in the early 1970s. As The AV Club put it, they "fused traditional gospel, soul, and psychedelia by addressing social issues like war, poverty, and substance abuse."
Ahead of their time and too experimental for the traditional gospel music world, the band spent decades in obscurity until being rediscovered and reborn with their breakthrough 2013 release The Electric Word. Soon, they were playing at Bonnaroo, touring with Charles Bradley and Booker T. Jones, and featured by the New York Times and NPR Morning Edition.
Reenergized and inspired, things were finally going their way, until bandleader Reverend Gean West fell ill during the recording of their follow-up album. He spent 12 days in a coma, where he said he spoke to God, which gave him the strength to push through and record vocals for all but one song on the album before he passed away.
The band finished the LP, and titled it Goodbye World. An incredibly powerful album, it stands as an elegy to West and a final musical goodbye for the dynamic preacher and musician.
We have a great single from that album, “You Gotta Do Right,” as our newest SoulTracks First Listen. It's a song that has a classic Temptations feel and a powerful message.
World Premiere
The Relatives - "You Gotta Do Right"