DC TALK

DC Talk is a tremendously overrated Christian band that started out as rap and put out albums like Nu Thang and Free At Last and then moved in a more rock direction with the big seller Jesus Freak. To me their the kind of band that at sometime or another we need to acknowledge the existence of no matter how much we don’t want to. I guess now is that time.

--Robert Grazer

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FREE AT LAST (1993)

(reviewed by Robert Grazer)

Ugh! This here rap album is atrocious. Not the worst album I’ve heard, but it’s pretty deep down there. Rap was never a really great genre of music, and listening to this you really know it. The songs do manage to slightly avoid that They All Sound The Same Syndrome so commonly found in rap, and that is the only thing keeping this grade as high as a three. Listen to those songs; that isn’t music, it’s absolute crap. They range from a stupid track about abstinence called “I Don’t Want It” to more junk like the ridiculous “Time Is…” which ranks as one of the worst on this album. It’s a true achievement in abysmal music.

Then there are some short pieces that end up as annoying as ever with their desperate attempts at good music like “WDCT” and “Will Power.” The band even had the nerve to take the already bad “Jesus Is Just Alright” and take it at a new low. Not to mention the massacre of “Lean On Me.”  The only other remote sign of hope besides the fact that they do not all sound the same is “Word To The Father,” oh, wait I’m sorry “Word 2 The Father,” they have to spell it all cool. Whatever. Anyway the song itself is the sign of hope since it at the very least has a minimally memorable chorus. So there you have it. It is very hard to find signs of hope on one this bad but I managed to do it. Please, even if you’re a Jesus Freak freak, stay very far away from this one for your own good.

OVERALL RATING: 3

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JESUS FREAK (1995)

(reviewed by Robert Grazer)

Well, the ever so popular Christian trio makes their big breakthrough album that sold a gazillion copies and had every single track released to every single Christian music radio station. To a point this album is somewhat decent, but really nothing spectacular. “Colored People” is one of those songs that works only once before becoming completely dull. Somewhat similar in that fact is the title track. It’s very impressive the first couple (for some couple hundred) times around, but soon you can see how cheap it really is.

Then comes the more unknown end of the album (not to say it completely unknown by CCM fans) with songs like the admittedly good “What If I Stumble?,” the catchy “Day By Day” and the absolutely forgettable “Mrs. Morgan.” Not especially bad really, just nothing great, or even very good for that matter. The short reprise of the title track is hardly funny, and has no real purpose. I doubt it’s a filling song since the effort to give a little humor was there, and even if it failed miserably it was better than the humor on Free At Last.

From there “Like It, Love It, Need It” is just alright, and even though “In The Light” is a great acoustic track, it precedes two really, really boring entries that finish off the album. I have absolutely nothing against Christian music in general (I absolutely adore Stavesacre), but the public sure likes to gobble up the lesser works from it. This album isn’t really up in the mediocre category since only a couple songs are any good so 5 may be a little generous, but man this is a big step up from the last one.

OVERALL RATING: 5

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COMMENTS

[email protected] (Philip Maddox)

You know? I actually HAVE this stupid album. I'm not going to review it, because that would require listening to it again. Needless to say, I HATE HATE HATE this record. It all sounds cheap and schlocky, and the lyrics are, well, terrible! Nothing against Christian lyrics, but c'mon, the lyrics to the title track are unbeliveably moronic sounding. The title track is actually pretty decent, despite those stupid lyrics, and there are probably a couple of decent moments throughout (not songs, though - I would have remembered decent songs), but this is manipulative CCM at its worst. A 5 is being generous. I don't know if I could go as high as a 3, personally.

[email protected]

Okay, let’s get something right here. I'm a born-again Christian fully on Fire for God and JESUS. I am a JESUS FREAK. I will rock my socks off for Jesus! I read this review by this Robert Grazer and this Phillip Maddox a little while ago. And quite frankly I was horrified then and I’m still horrified now. I couldn't keep myself from replying. I don't know who on earth this --Robert Grazer guy, not to mention this Phillp Maddox guy (go jump back into Futurama for crying out loud) thinks he is, but where does he get the right to go around bagging out DC Talk? What i would like to know is WHERE do you think that you have the authority to even say such a thing? It's so not called for! Obviously not from GOD. I know there is some music – no, let’s go more specific – Christian Music out there that I do not like, but do you see me going around bagging it? It will effect someone; that’s why it’s written. That’s why God commissioned people to write these songs: to bring them closer to Him.

Do I even dare go into all the GOOD things that they have done in this world, not in their own name, but in GOD'S name! they do NOT take any of the credit - it's all given over to GOD. I personally love DC TALK to bits - not just for their music (Free at last is one of my favourite songs, btw), but who they are and what they do. Hey matey, when you’ve been crucified for your beliefs, come back and talk to me, yea? Because I have, and I’m still here. That’s what Jesus Freak is all about and that’s why I am one, k?.

This album and all of their albums are designed in a manner to bring people to the Word of the Lord. Don't like? Don't listen to it then. But by all means don't go around telling everyone else NOT to listen to it. Have your own opinion on it for sure, and share it, but do it in manner that ISN'T going to make others disgusted by your words. But for all of you out there, who are wondering about the Lord, listen to DC Talk. They aren’t what these ignorant guys claim them to be. Let's not forget the awards they've won too for their albums!

Megan

SUPERNATURAL (1998)

(reviewed by Kevin Baker)

Well, while I liked Jesus Freak (somewhat; it'll never be anywhere close to anywhere close of desert island level), you cannot rate dc Talk without a listen to Supernatural. They (thank you God) totally abandon rap on here, which is enough good news to alone get this one the highest dc Talk rating. Then of course, you cannot deny that they've matured as songwriters since Jesus Freak, so that means the song quality is much improved.

Now, I am in no way ashamed to admit my religious beliefs. I am a 100% born-again, Bible believing nondenominationalist who can't stand how badly the Western church has screwed up over the past few hundred years. We go from conversion at gunpoint to total apathy. How pathetic is that? I blame church leaders for that, not church members. It's time to be Jesus to the world, people....sorry. I forgot for a moment I'm supposed to be reviewing a rock record. Well, I pledge that while I may comment on lyrics, I will not use this as (too much of) a pulpit. A Christian cannot comment on a Christian cd without his or her Christianity coming into play, so you'll have to live with some religious statements. But I will promise the reader that just as Jesus didn't try to cram His beliefs down anyone's throat, neither will I.

OK, with that out of the way, let's move on. The first real song is It's Killing Me. It used to be my favorite on here, actually. The words seem to deal with a relationship in which someone is "unequally yoked" to their significant other. It's a rocker, maybe the hardest rocking one on here. Not that we're talking dc Talk gone Black Sabbath here; just a little more guitar-heavy than the rest of the songs. We segue straight into Dive, which, while the mildly techno beat mars, is not a bad song lyrically. I rather appreciate it. I will have to admit to another bias in favor of this album; this was one of the cds that got me through the roughest year of my short life. I felt hope every time I listened to this cd. Now, with some more musical experience under my belt, I can recognize that musically, this song is not too strong, but it's isn't weak either. A highlight, but barely so.

Our next song is Consume Me, one of the radio hits from this one. Deservedly so, I think. Even my mom liked it. Maybe that's a bad sign though. This song is all about trying to be totally devoted to serving the Lord in everything. Oh, I wish I could live like that. The song is kinda slow, but not in a bad way. This, along with Into Jesus (another hit fromhere), may be the quintessential late 90s dc Talk songs. For better or worse. The next song is a fan favorite, and adresses the what-if idea of one of the band members quitting the band and going solo and secular. It actually almost happened; Kevin Max considered doing such a thing. I honestly never liked it as much as a lot of people did. Nice topic and all, but I much prefer the next song.

Fearless is one my favorite songs, and THE BEST song dc Talk ever did in my opinion. OK, I do have a history with it. If there was a song that was responsible to me getting out of the miserable, depressed slump I was trapped in in 8th grade, this baby was it. Never diss this song before me; I may just have to hurt you if you do so. Besides the sentimental attachment, the song has some good guitar playing, excellent lyrics, and good vocal delivery. Hands down the best here. Now we hit a run of 4 songs I don't care for as much as the rest. Godsend was another hit from here, but I don't like it as much. dc Talk doing a love song??? Yes. Not bad, but not good either. Wanna Be Loved is too gospel-based for me, The Truth is long and bland, and Since I Met You sounds like ska which I hate Hate HATE with a passion.

However, we rise above these things with the last radio hit on here, Into Jesus. This one does need a point docked off for the inane chorus, but other than that, the song manages to sound dreamy and oh so serious at the same time. Really good song. The title track is very grunge sounding. Forget what I said about It's Killing Me being the guitar heaviest song. The chorus is very powerful and strum-und-drang. However, I still prefer other songs on here over it. I also don't care much for the other two songs. All in all, we have an uneven album, but not awful. Meteoric high points with mostly slight low dips and one awful ska-ripoff.

OVERALL RATING: 7

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