Hello everyone =) Today I'm going to test your nerves with my very first review... of a CHRISTIAN album.
Album: Jesus Freak
Artists: dc Talk
Released: November 21, 1995
Genres: Christian contemporary, alternative rock
Obtained: passed down from my father, who purchased the CD in 2000
OVERVIEW
Now, growing up, my family was sort of Christian, which is why we got this album in the first place. However, all beliefs aside, it is my conviction that this may just be one of the greatest Christian albums of all time, and I will tell you why...
This album, unlike an overwhelming majority of albums which solely focus on "Holy God, Praise Jesus, Praise God, Worship, Worship, Praise, Praise" and so on, this album delves into a wide range of subjects that almost anyone could relate to, believers or not - from trying to find peace of mind amidst the hustling world of busybodies in which we live, to seeking love from parents or forgiveness from a friend, and of course, standing up for your beliefs in the face of peer persecution, and fear of the consequences of failing to live up to the standards set by those very beliefs. Let's dig deeper into each track, and find what it's really all about.
SO HELP ME GOD
The album starts with a very slow guitar riff, which quickly shifts into this very 90's funk-rock number that deals with the everyday struggles of the Christian faith and finding God's purpose for one's life. Again, I am not going to insert my own beliefs in here, but I will say that even if you don't believe in God, as part of an alternative rock album, the first track does a fine job of bringing up the energy in a hurry, and while it deals with a sombre subject, it manages to keep the mood uplifting and get to the point of the matter with out overanalyzing it.
COLORED PEOPLE
The next song gets a little more emotional, but not too much. It talks about the wonders of diversity and the beauty of the different colors of our skin - basically a poppy and cheerful anti-racism jig. Despite the line "We're colored people who depend on a holy grace," I could still see this song having been played on radios, at schools, and at peace conferences everywhere, which it was.
JESUS FREAK
The title track was, for lack of better words, EXPLOSIVE - it has received incredible public response since they played a demo version of it at a concert in South Africa. It was the heaviest song they had ever played at the time, and it is characterized by aggressive, grunge guitar riffs, Nirvana-esque verses followed by angry rap verses by Toby McKeehan (aka TobyMac), and a loud-and-proud anthem about standing up for one's belief in Jesus in the midst of public persecution. The title comes from a 60's derogatory term for Christian believers, which has since been turned around into a term of pride among fans.
WHAT IF I STUMBLE?
What If I Stumble? is one of my favorite songs of all time, though I've never admitted it until now. As a former Christian who spent a lot of time questioning God and making more than my fair share of mistakes and seeing loads of hypocrisy everywhere I went during my days as a church-goer, I can relate to the lyrics in this song more than any of the others.
DAY BY DAY
Day By Day consistently switches back and forth between chill organ jazz and upbeat rock. It deals with trying to maintain good standing with one's values while struggling to keep up with the fast-pace of the working world. Not quite as outstanding as the 3 previous tracks, but still catchy enough to grow on you after listening to it a few times.
BETWEEN YOU AND ME
This one is mellow in comparison. If you're really big into heavy music, this song, nay, most of this album, is not for you. On top of the subtle wah-wah of the guitars is a message from one friend to another asking forgiveness for something hurtful they did or said--- Whaaaat!? I thought Christians were perfect.... :O But seriously, while the lyrics could be twisted to be about redeeming a lost relationship with Christ, it is literally a plea between two friends and that is all. Quite refreshing.
LIKE IT, LOVE IT, NEED IT
This track almost immediately jumps into vocals over top of a very old-school alternative rock sound. It tells of all the ways people try to find personal happiness, and claim that the best way is through Jesus. Not a bad track, just not at the top of my list.
JESUS FREAK (REPRISE)
A parody of the title track, featuring an apparently Elvis-infatuated preacher. Good for a quick chuckle.
IN THE LIGHT
This one is the second most popular song on the album beside Jesus Freak, and like the latter, has been covered many times and is still regularly played at various Christian concerts to this day. It's very emotional yet very upbeat; it hits you where it hurts with its verses and heals it with the uplifiting harmonies of the chorus. It's message is a slightly deeper and more personal interpretation of the previous track, and has had a major impact on the Christian world.
WHAT HAVE WE BECOME?
As you might presume from the title, this track is not a happy one. It deals with subjects such as racism, alienation and suicide, and calls the ways of the world into question in a way that might just make a faint-hearted individual suicidal as well...
MIND'S EYE
A more light-hearted, soulful track, Mind's Eye wraps up the album by attempting to answer the question asked by many believers and non-believers alike: How can one believe in something you cannot see, hear or feel?
P.S. For those who love cowbell, this may be a good track to add to your collection. =)
UNTITLED
The unlisted bonus track begins with a repeat of the riff from the introduction, followed by two minutes of silence. When the music comes in, we are greeted by soft strings and a short poem (widely known as "Alas, My Love") written and recited by Kevin Max Smith, a member of the band. Once the poem is finished, the strings continue to the end of the track over a soft hip-hop beat. Very deep, man, very deep indeed. I'm in the mood for chai tea suddenly and I don't know why....
Now, growing up, my family was sort of Christian, which is why we got this album in the first place. However, all beliefs aside, it is my conviction that this may just be one of the greatest Christian albums of all time, and I will tell you why...
This album, unlike an overwhelming majority of albums which solely focus on "Holy God, Praise Jesus, Praise God, Worship, Worship, Praise, Praise" and so on, this album delves into a wide range of subjects that almost anyone could relate to, believers or not - from trying to find peace of mind amidst the hustling world of busybodies in which we live, to seeking love from parents or forgiveness from a friend, and of course, standing up for your beliefs in the face of peer persecution, and fear of the consequences of failing to live up to the standards set by those very beliefs. Let's dig deeper into each track, and find what it's really all about.
_____________________________________________________________________________
SO HELP ME GOD
The album starts with a very slow guitar riff, which quickly shifts into this very 90's funk-rock number that deals with the everyday struggles of the Christian faith and finding God's purpose for one's life. Again, I am not going to insert my own beliefs in here, but I will say that even if you don't believe in God, as part of an alternative rock album, the first track does a fine job of bringing up the energy in a hurry, and while it deals with a sombre subject, it manages to keep the mood uplifting and get to the point of the matter with out overanalyzing it.
COLORED PEOPLE
The next song gets a little more emotional, but not too much. It talks about the wonders of diversity and the beauty of the different colors of our skin - basically a poppy and cheerful anti-racism jig. Despite the line "We're colored people who depend on a holy grace," I could still see this song having been played on radios, at schools, and at peace conferences everywhere, which it was.
JESUS FREAK
The title track was, for lack of better words, EXPLOSIVE - it has received incredible public response since they played a demo version of it at a concert in South Africa. It was the heaviest song they had ever played at the time, and it is characterized by aggressive, grunge guitar riffs, Nirvana-esque verses followed by angry rap verses by Toby McKeehan (aka TobyMac), and a loud-and-proud anthem about standing up for one's belief in Jesus in the midst of public persecution. The title comes from a 60's derogatory term for Christian believers, which has since been turned around into a term of pride among fans.
WHAT IF I STUMBLE?
What If I Stumble? is one of my favorite songs of all time, though I've never admitted it until now. As a former Christian who spent a lot of time questioning God and making more than my fair share of mistakes and seeing loads of hypocrisy everywhere I went during my days as a church-goer, I can relate to the lyrics in this song more than any of the others.
DAY BY DAY
Day By Day consistently switches back and forth between chill organ jazz and upbeat rock. It deals with trying to maintain good standing with one's values while struggling to keep up with the fast-pace of the working world. Not quite as outstanding as the 3 previous tracks, but still catchy enough to grow on you after listening to it a few times.
BETWEEN YOU AND ME
This one is mellow in comparison. If you're really big into heavy music, this song, nay, most of this album, is not for you. On top of the subtle wah-wah of the guitars is a message from one friend to another asking forgiveness for something hurtful they did or said--- Whaaaat!? I thought Christians were perfect.... :O But seriously, while the lyrics could be twisted to be about redeeming a lost relationship with Christ, it is literally a plea between two friends and that is all. Quite refreshing.
LIKE IT, LOVE IT, NEED IT
This track almost immediately jumps into vocals over top of a very old-school alternative rock sound. It tells of all the ways people try to find personal happiness, and claim that the best way is through Jesus. Not a bad track, just not at the top of my list.
JESUS FREAK (REPRISE)
A parody of the title track, featuring an apparently Elvis-infatuated preacher. Good for a quick chuckle.
IN THE LIGHT
This one is the second most popular song on the album beside Jesus Freak, and like the latter, has been covered many times and is still regularly played at various Christian concerts to this day. It's very emotional yet very upbeat; it hits you where it hurts with its verses and heals it with the uplifiting harmonies of the chorus. It's message is a slightly deeper and more personal interpretation of the previous track, and has had a major impact on the Christian world.
WHAT HAVE WE BECOME?
As you might presume from the title, this track is not a happy one. It deals with subjects such as racism, alienation and suicide, and calls the ways of the world into question in a way that might just make a faint-hearted individual suicidal as well...
MIND'S EYE
A more light-hearted, soulful track, Mind's Eye wraps up the album by attempting to answer the question asked by many believers and non-believers alike: How can one believe in something you cannot see, hear or feel?
P.S. For those who love cowbell, this may be a good track to add to your collection. =)
UNTITLED
The unlisted bonus track begins with a repeat of the riff from the introduction, followed by two minutes of silence. When the music comes in, we are greeted by soft strings and a short poem (widely known as "Alas, My Love") written and recited by Kevin Max Smith, a member of the band. Once the poem is finished, the strings continue to the end of the track over a soft hip-hop beat. Very deep, man, very deep indeed. I'm in the mood for chai tea suddenly and I don't know why....
_______________________________________________________________________________
This CD has been with me since I was a kid, which may be why it has been more influential to me than a lot of other people, and perhaps why I feel so compelled to review this album. I believe anyone who likes a good mix of rock, soul, funk and old-school hip-hop will thoroughly enjoy this album, regardless of what they believe, because no matter what your religion is, I know there are two things we can all believe in - Love, and the pursuit of happiness, and this band knows where it's at.
Can I get an "AMEN, BROTHER!" ?
If you have read this whole thing, I give you my applause and sincerest thanks. If anyone wants to comment on this review, please be respectful. Thank you and have a great day. =)
Favorite tracks:
1. What If I Stumble?
2. Jesus Freak
3. In The Light
4. Day By Day
5. Colored People
Favorite tracks:
1. What If I Stumble?
2. Jesus Freak
3. In The Light
4. Day By Day
5. Colored People
Buy this album on iTunes:
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