dc Talk - Free At Last

Thursday 1st April 1993
dc Talk - Free At Last
dc Talk - Free At Last

STYLE: Hip-Hop
RATING 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 8104-7856
LABEL: Forefront FFD3002
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1

Reviewed by Tony Cummings

If you're looking for something hardcore with which to dis the devil you'd better investigate SFC or PID, for dc Talk have now upped the vocal hooks and harmonies and are firmly in the pop gospel big league. They've done it superlatively and chief rapper Toby McKeehan and production maestro Mark Heimermann deliver an album with more hooks than a school cloakroom. From the opener "Love Is A Verb" with which the Washington trio have been gigging since their US tour with Michael W Smith to the closing reprise of "Jesus Is Just Alright" the gospel oldie metamorphasised into a riotously infectious romper, this is a glorious celebration of Jesus is Lord speaking in TODAY'S musical language. There are some neat twists in the lyrics, Toby coming on with a fast rappin' prologue to "That Kind Of Girl" contrasting the godly woman described in Proverbs 31 with the raunchy ladies on the scene today. Another standout is the slow funk groove "The Hard Way" where Smith laments his tendancy to be "the kind of guy who has to find out for himself" and learns "the hard way". Production and musical interjections throughout are superb. Grab those Boys To Men style harmonies from Michael Tait and Kevin Smith, enjoy the big choral support from choir with Veronica Petrucci (of Angelo And Veronica fame) coming on with some sanctified wailing. "I Don't Want It" is a particular standout with upfront lyrics. "I don't want it/your sex for now/I don't want it till we take the vows" goes the sung hook while the rap hits home - "S-E-X is a test when I'm pressed/so back off with no less of that zest/.safe is the way they say to play/then again safe ain't safe at all today/so just wait for the mate that's straight from God/don't have sex till ya tie the knot." There's an occasional slight lapse, reviving Bill Withers' "Lean On Me" was a mistake (never revive pop classics) but with 17 jams there's enough to convince all, CCM devotee and pagan pop picker, that Christian music has the chops and integrity to deliver.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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Sample Track Listing:
4. Jesus Is Just Alright [Listen]

This track data is supplied by the Cross Rhythms CD/DVD review library. Please note that CD tracks may vary according to release region or product version.

Reader Comments

Posted by Don in state of Delaware @ 14:24 on Jun 1 2011

I bought this cd partly because I had seen the video for "JESUS Is Just Alright" on late night TBN. The trio did a great updated version of the song;The Byrds
recorded 1969 version would hit the charts in 1970.
I know it's a catchy tune, but to me JESUS is more just alright! I was kinda surprised when their cover version of pop icon Bill Wither's "Lean On Me" did not make their greatest hits list;not even a video version.
I recall when a church I visited shortly after this cd release, sang this song on their stage; it really took me by surprise! GOD Bless! - Don



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