All About You, the debut summer release of Bobby Perry & R.A.I.N (Royal Agents Influencing Nations) on Axiom Records, arrives just in time to shake up a genre that is quickly becoming repetitive. Yes, it's definitely urban, but Perry injects his own original slant, and delivers an urban praise and worship album that is equally adept at feeding your soul, getting your praize on and delivering the head bobbing, trunk thumping factor in your ride. The eleven tracks on All About You feature tight R&B, Hip Hop and contemporary soul beats, superior vocal harmonies and phrasings, all built around Christ centered lyrics. No surprise to his fans but for the rest of us, All About You is Perry's long awaited reintroduction to gospel.
In 1994, Perry and his then musical collaborator Robbie Lewis, produced demo projects for many groups throughout the city of Boston, ultimately landing a record deal for their group Here II Praise with Verity Records. The album entitled Giving You Nothing But Praise was introduced by gospel legend Daryl Coley who saw something special in Perry & Lewis and afforded them an opportunity of a lifetime. Experiencing national acclaim taught Perry valuable lessons about the industry. Perry later took a hiatus from the industry as he served as Minister of music, Overseer of Worship, Assistant Pastor and eventually, the Founder and Pastor of Kingdom Builder's Worship Center, Inc. R.A.I.N. is a collaboration of singers from his church who came together to make All About You.
Perry wrote and co-wrote nine of the songs on All About You and also co-produced the album along with Pierre Huberson. The songs, at its core, are rooted in the black church experience, and stylistically cover the range of the genre. From the straight funk feel of the lead single 'Right There' and 'I Don't Know Why', to the mid tempo grooves of 'For The Lord' and 'Changed', to praise and worship like the title track 'All About You' and 'My All', Perry and Huberson though, add the special touches that All About You apart from the expected. The traditional 'choir' sound is shaken up by changing solo parts to a choral vocal feel with a selected vocal blend that changes depending on the feel of a particular song. Musical gems are scattered throughout, like the use of saxophone in the funk mix of 'Right There' and the orchestral feel of the full strings on the worship cuts. Then just when you think you've finally got them pegged they let loose with the anthemic rocker, 'I Am God' the most adventurous track on All About You. Somehow it all works and should thrust Bobby Perry and R.A.I.N to the forefront of Urban Gospel.
Bobby believes that their mission is to influence nations, with their gift of music, to realize that life is "All about Him". He hopes that everyone will listen to and enjoy their music. However their target audience is the young adult believer and the unbeliever, so that the whole nation can be influenced by the Kingdom of God. "It is my desire that those who are not saved would be inspired to start a new life with Christ after hearing our music." Says Perry, "I also want those who are saved to feel the testimony and understand that although life is sometimes hard, we can still make it because our life is All About Him!"
