“It Is Well”
Monica Lisa Stevenson
Blacksmoke Music Worldwide (release date: April 28, 2023)
By Robert M. Marovich
To a finger-popping rhythm and a muscular accompaniment that feels inspired by Muscle Shoals—courtesy of husband and producer Derrick Stevenson—Monica Lisa Stevenson gushes gratitude because everything is well with her soul.
Her vocals are sonorous but smooth and conversational. Until the vamp, that is, when she lets loose a gospel chuckle and begins a righteously bluesy explanation of why her soul is rested. One thing about MLS: she knows how to make a song contemporary while still keeping its roots planted firmly in the church.