Na Hoku Nomination
• Religious Album of the Year

The Reviews are in:

Wayne Harada
Honolulu Advertiser

• Distinguishing notes: TOA features five Alaiasa brothers (Steve, Moepulou, Kailili, Donny and Norris) who incorporate hip-hop, pop, blues and doo-wopharmonies in its delivery of gospel-undercurrent melodies. There's an occasional quiet and reverent mood on a cluster of tunes, including "Oh Lord My Redeemer" and "The Lord Is My Shepherd," a taste of culture on "Lo Ta Nu'u" with exquisite and delicate vocal blends, a sliver of soul on "Time Goes by Me." And "Dear Lord I Pray" is a rare hip-hop tribute to Him.

• The outlook: For those who favor and savor inspirational tunes, TOA's hip brew speaks a language of its own.

• Our take: Meditation never felt so cool.

John Berger
Honolulu Star Bulletin

Christmas in its purest form is about the birth of Jesus Christ, and although this album is about Jesus rather than the holiday that bears his name, it is a timely reminder of the reason for the season. The five Alaiasa brothers express their faith with a mixed bag of earnest originals and covers, with Donny and Norris Alaiasa contributing five songs between them. Norris also wrote "Introlude," a spoken-word track that explains the significance of the album's title.

Norris and Donny did the vocal arrangements as well, and they wisely chose to emphasize the group's tight five-part harmonies. There are a few live instruments in the mix, and some synth stuff is used to good effect as well, but nothing overshadows the brothers' voices or the message they share with their listeners.

Seti Matua
Spimag.com

The five brothers, Norris, Donny, Moepulou, Steve and Kalili bring their talent to the masses in an amalgamation of soulful voices that carry what they call their PG (Positive Grooves) to all who will hear. No less than five of the CD’s tracks were written entirely by the brothers and engineered by Sam Tuuga whose talents were borrowed from the capable Pacific Dream Records group. Brothers Norris and Donny combined with Executive Producers Vaihi Entertainment to create the majority of the original tracks including Dear Lord I Pray, One Song and the upbeat Time Goes By Me.

Though the CD falls under the Gospel genre, the Alaiasa’s felt compelled to draw inspiration from their Samoan roots, weaving their lyrics over R&B, acapella, soul and barber shop quartet to show off their vocal range. The brothers are particularly versatile in their version of the timeless Samoan anthem Lo Ta Nuu, sending the listener to the shores of American Samoa where the brothers were raised for a number of years while developing their talents for the stage.

The Alaiasa brothers are eager to make a mark on both the Polynesian and the gospel fronts. Their sound is contemporary and at the same time classic and their audience will appreciate their efforts.