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 By Kevin Pollard
• Kirk Franklin: The Fight of My Life,
GospoCentric
 IT’S hard to believe this year marks Kirk
Franklin’s 15th anniversary in gospel music. The bestselling
contemporary artist in SoundScan history, his latest CD reminds us that his
fusion of R&B, Gospel, Hip-Hop and Rock cannot be matched. This epic
concept album offers honest and vulnerable songs about the fights and hurts
we all face in a fallen world, and our need to call on God for strength.
The album starts off with the anthem ‘Declaration (This Is It!)
– a boxer’s challenge that he will survive anything the world
throws at him, with Christ in his life. Other highlights include the
beat-driven romp, ‘I Like Me’; ‘A Whole Nation,’ an
anthem which stresses the importance of fathers; and the horn-infused
proclamation of ‘Jesus!’ But the standout track is the rap/rock
collaboration with toby Mac on ‘I Am God’ – which
is destined to be a multi-genre hit. The diversity of styles on the album
come together in Franklin’s most cohesive and accessible effort to
date.
kirkfranklin.us
• Point of Grace: How You Live, Word/Curb/ Warner
 This multi Dove-winning and Grammy-nominated group also
mark 15 years of making music, on this new studio release. Their signature
pop harmonies are highlighted; but also evident is a country,
‘Americana’ sound which breathes fresh new life into the
project. The mandolin-infused ‘All the World,’ the fiddle/pedal
steel/banjo combo on ‘Any Way’ and the country-pop title song
indicate this quartet still has much good music to offer.
pointofgrace.net
• Mike Farris: Salvation in Lights, INO
Mike Farris is a veteran of the southern blues circuit;
he has sung with The Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies, Peaceful Knievel and
Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Double Trouble. Recently he overcame a drug
addiction and decided to sing of his redemption. The album is a blend of
gospel, blues and soul reminiscent of Eric Clapton, the Blind Boys of
Alabama, and Bob Dylan’s gospel-blues period. While Farris’
five originals stand up well against standards like ‘Oh Mary
Don’t You Weep’ and ‘Precious Lord, Take My
Hand,’ few have discovered this album; but many critics have included
it on their year-end best charts.
mikefarris.net
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• Aaron Shust: Whispered and Shouted, Brash/Word
Although most may not recognize his name, many have
heard Shust’s ‘My Savior, My God,’ which dominated
Christian radio and earned high honours at the GMA Awards. This second
album shows off his songwriting abilities, from the imagery of the majestic
‘Create Again’ to the ambient ‘Life Itself.’ The CD
covers an eclectic range of tempos and genres, from the poignant ballad
‘Watch Over Me’ to the lush, Beatle-esque
‘Worthy/Let All I Do.’ aaronshust.com
• Hillsong London: Jesus Is re-mix, Integrity
If you like electronic, ambient music, you may want to
give this a listen. The new Hillsong London church, which meets in that
city’s famous theatre district, has remade the 2006 Hillsong album
‘Jesus Is.’ The original songs are remixed – to the point
where the lyrics are intact, but hardly audible; and the melodies no longer
exist. Personally, I found it hard to enjoy. But this passionate,
Euro-style worship has been a driving force for the explosive growth of
this church – and this is unlike any album I have heard.
hillsongmusic.com
• WOW Music Trivia Game (DVD), EMI
I have been waiting so long for a Christian music
trivia game that I was thinking of developing one myself. Finally, here is
the first ‘Scene-It’ style DVD game. With more than 1,000
questions in three distinct categories, spanning Christian music history,
there is something for everyone. From ‘guess that artist’
questions to ‘album cover scramble’ to ‘singing the
missing lyric’ of a favourite song, the variety keeps you on the edge
of your seat. It’s perfect for large groups or one-on-one. The
only drawback is that the questions come up at random, and many of them are
repeated. The other problem is how humbling it was to see the amount of
questions I had no idea how to answer!
wowonline.com
March 2008
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