dc Talk

Item: Jesus Freak
Author: Chris Well

Jesus Freak

(1995)

Reviewed by Chris Well

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Spotify YouTube Music

Label ForeFront Records7ball #4January 1996

alternative rock hip hop pop rock rap rock

Like Chicken Little, some who had gotten hold of the single "Jesus Freak" had gone around halfcocked, shouting to everyone that DC Talk wasn't "pop," now they were "modern." Thankfully, once you hear the complete album Jesus Freak, you find it's a false alarm -- oh, sure, there are guitars on this record, and bits of alternative rock here and there -- but there are also grooves and slick melodies and sharp harmonies. DC Talk is, first and foremost, a pop group. Following a similar formula as Free At Last, with Jesus Freak DC Talk includes a much broader list of ingredients: You can tell they've been listening to an assortment of Motown, Adult Alternative, rap and rock records (including, most certainly, Charlie Peacock, Nirvana, Seal and Lenny Kravitz). Mixing these together, DC Talk has concocted a crisp pop album that covers a lot of bases -- never gets boring -- but is always centered by their strong harmonies and their malleable pop sensibilities. As usual, many of the lyrics deal with a variety of teen-peer-pressure topics, dealt with bluntly, yet with tact. Some highlights: "So Help Me God," fusing techno-babble with shrieking Hendrix guitars and a cloud of British harmonies, is a simple prayer for guidance; the gentle, acoustic, "What If I Stumble" considers the impact our lifestyle has on our witness; "Day By Day" incorporates the Broadway classic into a Lenny Kravitz-style retro-psychedelic romp; an edgy update of Charlie Peacock's bouncy pop gem "In The Light" (with guest appearance of the songwriter himself) struggles with the realization of our lostness without Christ. If a sterling pop-rock album weren't enough reason to make a purchase, then get it for the riotous lounge-praise version of "Jesus Freak." It's short, but you can always play it again.