I'm not one to write first-person, opinion-type music reviews, but this time I am. Since The Rebel Base doesn't usually harbor pop music releases, I'm going to opt for the not-so-usual and give it a go.
I'm going to be honest. My expectations for the new Jaci Velasquez record were at a depressing all-time low, for several indisputable reasons: A) The Word Records that released all of Jaci's previous albums is not the same Word Records of today. B) Long-time Jaci collaborator Mark Heimermann was completely absent from this project, as was Judith Volz, her trusted A&R sidekick. C) Her first promotional single is not what I would call an aurally delightful glimpse into radio heaven, since it's your typical, formulaic, watered-down AC tune, and it can be quite embarrassing if you're hanging out with your hip friends. D) The cover of the album left much to be desired.
OK, so that last one was a little shallow, but this is an opinion piece, so bear with me.
When all of these factors came into play, I was dreading the release of this album. Being the self-proclaimed highbrow music critic and out-of-the-closet Jaci fan that I am - a paradox in and of itself -, I could imagine both the haters and my fellow audiophilic cohorts crucifying me for my lack of musical discernment and burning my reputable auditory credibility at the stake.
Braced for the worst and fearing my potential disownment, I popped in the infamous Unspoken in my player expecting extreme disappointment. The loathsome first single "You're My God" kicked things off, and if the stereotypical slap-you-in-the-face-first-track-that-sets-the-mood-for-the-entire-album song was any indication, I knew that I was in big trouble.
To my surprise, as the album progressed, I noticed that the quality of the music and the lyrics were escalating at a rather accelerated pace. No, the album never reached Radiohead-like levels of sonic experimentation or lyrical grandeur, but it did manage to show us a different side of Jaci, one that is vulnerable, fragile, and in as much a need of a Savior as all of us. She wasn't singing somebody else's song anymore, but her own. And she didn't mind candidly wearing her heart on her sleeve while doing it. When she sings "one little slip gets people talking" in "Glass House," she means every word, especially after taking so much criticism from ultra-conservatives who erroneously think her a licentious apostate who loves to straddle the fence between the sacred and the sacrilegious.
Stylistically, gone were the juvenile lite-pop influences, the synthesized Latin-tinged horns of ages past, and the uppity "Every Time I Fall"-type ditties. More surprising was the unexpected omission of the show-stopping, octave-climbing histrionics of songs like "Adore" or "On My Knees," a style that has garnered her the recognition as a powerhouse vocalist. Instead, she traded the old formula for mostly mid-tempo tracks ("Jesus Is," "Lost Without You"), renouncing the loud and bombastic elements of previous efforts and exhibiting a more reserved and classy pop sound. She sounds older and more mature, and I totally relate, since I'm just like that.
Not.
Rather than settling for simplistic pop sounds, many songs on Unspoken display offbeat sonic qualities that are atypically anti-pop. "He" is an alternative/Latin track that boasts a tasty Flamenco-styled guitar adornment and even some Middle Eastern-inspired synth sounds; "Glass House" is a confessional alternative pop tune that is dark and brooding, yet ultimately pleasing; and, though lyrically simple, "Your Friend" features an understated salsa rhythm, a freakish string arrangement, and an accompanying electric guitar straight from The Edge book of guitar tricks.
Though many casual fans are sure to be disappointed by the more downtempo Unspoken, I sure ain't. Jaci is one of the few singers that keeps it real when it comes to life and a relationship with God, and I'm glad her personality shines through on this release. No, the wheel doesn't get reinvented here, but who cares? This jam sounds good. If you're a fan of honesty and well-crafted pop music, do yourself a favor and pick up Unspoken.
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