Jesusfreakhideout.com: Regina Vandereijk, "Love Called Her Home

JFH Indie Review

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Regina Vandereijk
Love Called Her Home - EP

Street Date: September 24, 2024
Style: Gospel / Blues / Country / AC
Official Site: ReginaVandereijk.com
Buy It: Apple Music

Hailing from the mountains of North Carolina, but currently residing in the more northern climes of the Netherlands, Regina Vandereijk is a soulful gospel singer looking to make an impact through her new EP, Love Called Her Home. This four song set is a prelude to a full-length release due out next year but acts as a self-contained collection in its own right. Drawing from scripture as well as personal experience, Vandereijk infuses each song with her soaring vocals while backed by a competent band.

Stylistically, the EP opens with the folk-based title track before moving into a more country-leaning sound for "Mighty Waters (Midnight Moon)". This is followed by "Victory," which carries itself in a classic Spiritual way. "Oh Jesus (The Glory of the King)" wraps the short set up in full-on Southern Gospel territory. The subtle shift in each track, rather than being a distraction, works toward the EP's good. If you laid these genres out in a Venn diagram, they would all overlap in some way. This allows Vandereijk to play with different styles without giving the listener whiplash.

The message behind the music is also powerfully delivered. The title track tells the story of a wayward soul who eventually comes to Jesus. "Mighty Waters" feels a little more personal as Vandereijk sings of her Southern roots and relates that to Jesus' power in cleansing her soul. "Victory" plays off the old hymn "Victory in Jesus" to celebrate salvation, while the closer points the listener to the glory of Jesus found in the gospel. The progression from track-to-track with the message also helps give the EP a sense of cohesion. Where many EPs simply pull together a few songs that are basically singles, Vandereijk refreshingly offers a collection that tells a story and adds value to the listening experience.

When taking the songs individually, one finds there's not much that's groundbreaking. Yet, where Regina Vandereijk's Love Called Her Home EP succeeds is in the way the songs connect to each other, while offering something different musically. Vandereijk's vocals also add to the unique nature of this EP. Listen to the opening minute of "Victory" and no one can deny the strength of her pipes. It may just be a small sampling, but for fans of country-leaning, Southern Gospel-tinged music, Regina Vandereijk's little EP is worth giving a call.

- Review date: 10/24/24, written by John Underdown of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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