Brand New Day – Vanessa Bell Armstrong

Contemporary gospel music veteran Vanessa Bell Armstrong sports a new musical attitude on her debut project for the Tommy Boy Gospel label, entitled A Brand New Day. Under the production guidance of brother duo Deitrick and Gerald Haddon, the project finds Armstrong involving herself in an area she has always shunned, songwriting, having shared the writing credits on four songs. The Haddon brothers give Armstrong a vibrant, more youthful feel through their production, which can be readily noticed through the rock-flavored, guitar-dominated, Tina Turner-sounding track "He's Real" and the hip-hop-juiced "Make a Way." The calypso-dominated "There's No Failure in God" features Armstrong performing a duet with her daughter, Melody Armstrong. Overall, this recording ushers in a brand new day for a reborn Vanessa Bell Armstrong. ~ Tim A. Smith, All Music Guide