GENRE: HIP-HOP/RAP
LABEL: BEC RECORDINGS
RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 22, 2009
RATING: 4 OUT OF 5

For a long time I have been rather upset with KJ-52. When his first album dropped he was called the Christian response to Eminem. They sounded just alike with the exception of coarse language, glorification of violence, degradation of women, and promotion of abusing illegal substances. His second album only solidified his position with the gimmicky, yet well-received song “Dear Slim,” an open letter from the emcee to his secular counterpart (which utilized the latter’s beat/vibe from “Stan”). However, after those first two albums, KJ seemed to get stuck in a rut. While those first two had their fair share of goofiness and gimmicky songs, they still, overall boasted a mature feel that let you know Jonah Sorrentino was a serious artist with something to say. His last few albums have pretty much turned me off to the artist.

Why then was I anticipating the release of his newest studio project, Five-Two Television? Was it hope? Was it a desire to vindicate my own opinion that the man had fallen off the wagon and needed to hang up his mic? Wasn’t I just setting myself up for disappointment by looking forward to this album?

Well, whatever it was that had me keen to listen to KJ’s new joint, I’m glad I put it on when it showed up in my email as a digital pre-release. THIS is the KJ-52 album I’ve been waiting years to hear. Five-Two Television is a true return to form for the talented emcee. It features that fine mix of silliness and mellowness that characterized his earlier work, while also straddling the fine line between underground and mainstream.

Five-Two Television intros the album with an ode to all those crazy, children’s shows we all watched in our youth, establishing the theme of the project.

“Adventures of Tweezyman” is the first full-length track on the project. This wasn’t exactly the best track to start things out with, as he covers the exact same territory in “KJ Five Two” on his It’s Pronounced Five Two album. Actually, he did the same thing on Behind the Music, too. Beatwise, it’s decent, but he’s been here before. Let’s move on.

“End of My Rope” is a rock-fused number that was released ahead of the album via digital media outlets. It is more reminiscent of KJ’s collaborations with Rob Beckley of Pillar and is used as a cry for God to break the emcee in order to use him for His purposes.

“Headline News @ 5” and “Headline News @ 11” feature Theory Hazit and Braille, respectively, and take this project to a place where KJ hasn’t gone in some time—underground. Featuring these two artists returns to KJ the street cred he established early on in his career before becoming more commercial. And while this album is certainly still commercially viable, I think KJ will get more heads nodding because of his respect for where the craft comes from.

“Let’s Go” sounds a bit like a rehash of “End of My Rope” musically, but lyrically it is a straight-ahead call for Christians to throw off the stuff that hinders us and move forward in our faith. The track features Trevor McNevan, lead singer of Thousand Foot Krutch.

“Calling You” features a great R&B vibe thanks to the addition of Cross Movement Records crooner J.R. This track threatens to be one of the album’s best. The mix of KJ’s lyrical flow and J.R.’s singing over the mid-tempo boom-bap is superb.

“Picture” is a somber number. It recalls the darkness versus light nature of “#1 Fan.” It’s not one that I want to play a lot, as it tackles the difficult topic of self-image and self-mutilation in young women. That being said, I think it is a song that needed to be written and performed, as it will minister to countless teenage girls (and boys) who struggle with this.

Other notable tracks include “Shake It Off,” “Swagged Out With Tags Out,” “Fuego,” “Firestarter,” and album closer “Dear God.”

There might be those out there who feel like the gimmicky nature of this project threatens to overpower the mature tracks that appear, but I’d beg them to consider KJ’s previous themed albums, the attention-grabbing tracks most prominently featured, and compare it to this release. You will notice a stark difference. This is the perfect balancing act for the artist.

Overall, Five-Two Television may be KJ-52’s finest hour. Twenty tracks long, it clocks in at exactly that length, too—an hour. This album pulls out all the stops, bringing in the perfect blend of collaborative artists, beats, silly songs with Jonah, grown-up pieces, and a cohesive theme that will leave even the most ADD hip-hop head thinking about the weight of what KJ has laid down for listener.

In the story of Daniel, we find him in much favor with the king. In so much favor in fact that the king makes him one of three presidents to whom all the satraps who watch over the kingdom must give account. Then in verse 3 of Daniel 6, it says that “Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.”

What does it mean to have an excellent spirit? Does it mean excellent in the way Keanu Reeves says it in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure? I can dream, but I doubt Daniel was playing the air guitar. I think the answer we are looking for is in the next verse. “Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.”

As children of God and messengers of the Good News, we all want to be given something important to do by God, but often times we jump ahead too fast and want the responsibility before we can really handle it. It is first important to have an excellent spirit. God will see that and honor it. Then when people start to have trouble finding faults with you like they did with David, they will start to attack you for your God, like they did with Daniel. They tricked the king into forcing Daniel to deny his God, and when Daniel remained faithful, God used Daniel’s experience in the lions den to make His glory known. God will always used a faithful man (or woman), so focus on having that excellent spirit, and God will face down lions and kings through you to magnify His glory and forward His kingdom.

Thousand Foot Krutch unknowingly set a standard with their 2003 record Phenomenon. Fans fell head over heels for it, and understandably so- it’s easily one of the strongest alternative rock albums of the time. Although not a quality found directly in songs, the album was mysteriously atmospheric, bordering on ambient. Subsequent releases were good, but not as good. The distinct sound found on earlier material disappeared, and at times in its place, a more monotone pop appeared. However demoing a song during an online studio chat with fans, frontman Trevor McNevan reignited hopes for a return to the band’s signature alternative sound. He further made a case for these hopes saying “This album is definitely our heaviest record yet and that was intentional…there’s an aggression.”

And Welcome to the Masquerade delivers. From the anticipation building intro, and rather pummeling title track, to the rousing “Fire It Up” many fans will wish this record was released following their Tooth and Nail debut. Nearly every song feels reminiscent of the strong points in their previous works. The title track reminds of Phenomenon’s, while “Fire It Up” feels a blend of previous anthemic tracks with a “Move” styled vocal delivery and a “Bounce” lyrical mentality. The heavy delight “E For Extinction” brings back the nostalgic “Quicken,” and “The Part That Hurts The Most” carries a “Faith Love and Happiness” vibe and is among the strongest songs they’ve written.

Despite a genre filled with cookie cutter acts which incorporate what many would accuse cliché lyrics, McNevan’s voice sounds authentic when delivering what he’s penned: “It’s not a joke, I feel as messed up as you do, I’ve felt the feelings you’ve been feeling, been through the same things you’ve been through.” To the dismay of some, there is a new “Rawkfist;” however this one isn’t as cheesy sounding, and while the thirteen song collection has a more Phenomenon tone then the previous two albums, it is not a clone copy. Just as Meteora expanded on Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory, the album takes bits and pieces of earlier work and evolves them.

As such, Welcome To The Masquerade is everything a Thousand Foot Krutch record should be, and could contest as the best rock record of 2009. As John DiBiase of Jesusfreakhideout noted, Welcome To The Masquerade combines nearly all the bands strong points. TFK couldn’t sound stronger. However, McNevan put it the best when he said “Thousand Foot Krutch has kinda been my baby my whole life.” Its evident Welcome To The Masquerade has tons of time invested in it.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Street Date: September 8th, 2009
Label: Tooth and Nail

Track Listing:
1.) The Invitation
2.) Welcome To The Masquerade
3.) Fire It Up
4.) Bring Me To Life
5.) E For Extinction
6.) Watching Over me
7.) The Part That Hurts The Most (Is Me)
8.) Scream
9.) Look Away
10.) Forward Motion
11.) Outta Control
12.) Smack Down
13.) Already Home

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On the ocean shore you’ll find me. Wearing scars of yesterday, shedding those who haze me.

Knee’s drop on this cliff, on this mountain top it all begins, from up here it never ends!!
Raising my fist to the setting sky, I fire off my last round of memories!!
Is this where it dies!?
Let the world hear and know
I refuse to breathe the breath of a failure!!

GENRE: CCM
LABEL: SPARROW RECORDS
RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
RATING: 1 OUT OF 5

Josh Wilson is back with 7 new radio-friendly tunes that are sure to blaze a trail across the saccharine saturated AC charts. His previous effort Trying To Fit The Ocean In A Cup didn’t exactly strike a chord with me. This project is a step down. However, if you like easy-to-swallow, part worship, part pop music, then you’ll find something to love in his second album, Life Is Not A Snapshot.

“Sing” begins the album, and it’s pretty straight-forward and straight-laced. Actually, it’s so straight-forward and straight-laced that that it’s almost offensive. Nothing against the message of “God’s continuing presence and hope,” but if delivery is part of the package, then Josh Wilson’s public is going to be hovering somewhere around 40. (That is a sweeping generalization, of course. They could easily be much older than that.)

“Before The Morning” is one of the obligatory “God-is-there-even-when-life-is-dark-so-dare-to-believe-it” songs that seem to characterize CCM albums. You know how you’re going through hell and then you hear that song that captures how you feel or gives you hope in the midst of it? This isn’t that song. This is the trite, clichéd version of that song.

Remember Greg Long? He’s part of Avalon now. Before that, he was a solo artist. Decent at times. Not so decent at others. Anyhow, he had a particular sound. “Listen” captures that sound well. Wanna venture a guess as to what the song is all about? That’s right! Listening to the voice of God!

“Do You Want To Know” is a song that would make a great concept video and, subsequently, the only track on the album I liked. Wilson weaves a story about walking past a homeless/downtrodden person, imagining that person’s similarities to the passer-by.

The instrumental “Amazing Grace” ends the album. It’s decent, but the really amazing thing about it is that it ends such a terrible project.

Unfortunately, Life Is Not A Snapshot never rises to the level that so many reviewers seem to think it has. Josh Wilson certainly has a lot of potential, but he’s not saying anything that hasn’t been said before, and he certainly hasn’t delivered a form of music that wasn’t conveyed by Michael W. Smith, Greg Long, PFR, and Steven Curtis Chapman in the late 90’s.

Lord, You saved me for a reason. This life is not mine. My life is not mine. May I not seek things to do for you, but seek You to do things through me. May I be a vessel used for your glory. Lord, I ask and desire to do great things through and for You. May I be content with Your will for me. Help me to look at each day as a chance to honor you. Might I wake up and ask why you saved me that day and for what purpose I am Your elect.

Lord, I struggle with consistency in thought. I go hours with giving you no thought while you never stop thinking about me or caring for me. I love Your grace and Your love. Help me to fear You. May I understand how to fear You.

Written in the journal from the Prayer Room during 40.

I still see you
And it still hurts
Because you are still broken
By pain and innocence lost

Lost innocence on the altar of first love
Frustrated plans of future adventures
Left in the creeks and the cornfields where they began
Redemption is simply a word to a heart betrayed

Betrayed heart of a sinless sinful creature
Hope deferred makes the heart sick
At least, that’s what we’re told by the wisened kings
Blushing turned to rage in the moment of confused torment

Was it real?
Was it true?
Was it lovely?

We are the broken cornstalks.
Tread upon. Pressed into the earth beneath the feet of confused emotion.
The long, deep winter will cover the wounds.
The spring dew will revive the soul.
Longing in the meadow, surrounded by trees.
Trees of life. Breath of life.
One day, we will breathe again.

Recently I’ve been involved in a bible study called No Other Gods: Confronting Our Modern Day Idols. I’ve got to be honest – at the beginning of the study I wasn’t really expecting a lot of relevance to my life. Maybe it’s because when I think about idols, my mind wanders to the classic example in the Old Testament: the incident of the golden calf.

Today, it’s not a common practice here in America to melt down our finest jewelry and sculpt traditional idols. You typically don’t see blacksmiths and woodcarvers standing in unemployment lines. And it certainly isn’t a common occurrence for us to offer up burnt offerings anymore.

But upon closer observance of Exodus 32, it’s apparent how easily the people looked for something to lead them when their impatience bubbled to the surface. And that’s something I can relate to.

“When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. ‘Come on,” they said. “Make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt,’” Exodus 32:1.

That day, the Israelites walked from one form of slavery into another. Rather than looking to God for guidance, waiting on Him for action, the Israelites decide to take things into their own hands. Aaron was quick to act, instructing them to collect their gold and bring it to him. Then, melting it down and shaping it into the infamous calf, he announced, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (vs. 4).

What a gigantic lie! How could the Israelites really believe that a statue that was crafted from their own fingers brought them out of slavery when it was God that parted the Red Sea, when it was God that brought down manna from heaven? These statements sound incredible, but really, are they any bigger than the lies we tell ourselves? Today we might not craft idols out of gold or iron, but we are quick to cling to those things that bring us comfort, recognition, and happiness.

Author Ken Sande defines an idol as such: “Most of us think of an idol as a statue of wood, stone, or metal worshiped by pagan people… In biblical terms, it is something other than God that we set our heart on (Luke 12:29; 1 Cor. 10:19), that motivates us (1 Cor. 4:5), that masters and rules us (Ps. 119:133; Eph. 5:5), or that we trust, fear, or serve (Isa. 42:17).”

Think for a moment about the words of the Israelites. “Make us some gods who can lead us.” What gods do we choose in our lives to lead us rather than the one true God? Materialism, sex, power, money, image, friendships, career – whatever form they take, these idols manifest themselves in our lives by taking root in our hearts first. John Calvin echoes this point by saying, “The human heart is a factory of idols… Every one of us is, from his mother’s womb, expert in inventing idols.”

I know that in my life, most of the time choosing an idol to lead me isn’t purposeful. I never set out to replace God as the Lord of my life. But it happens every time that I elevate something above my relationship with God, every time my thoughts are cluttered with things that take precedence over Him.

So really, there’s only one thing we can do, only one thing that I can do to rid myself of these filthy idols.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

Everyday, we have to die to ourselves, to those idols that have taken root in our hearts and instead, bear the cross of Christ. Everyday, we must focus our eyes fully on our Savior and guard our hearts against anything else from getting in the way. And everyday we must consciously identify who or what we’re using to try and fill that hole in our hearts that is meant only for God and then ask for forgiveness. Only then can we move forward away from the entanglement of modern day idols and live in the freedom that Christ offers.

1:12am.

That’s what the clock on my dashboard read a mere eleven minutes ago.
The night was clear, the ride easy. The roads were barren, save for a few of us renegades who dared to tempt the police with easy prey for unfilled quotas. As I stared at the yellow lines, their staccato rhythm hypnotizing, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to swerve across the lanes of traffic into the oncoming lane.

Relax, I was not contemplating suicide. That side of the road was empty.
I almost laughed to myself at the arrival of the unwelcome urge. There was no one to discuss this sudden weirdness with. So I contemplated what would give rise to it. It hit me a moment later.

I’d never driven on that side of the road before.
Is that a good enough reason?
There are reasons I have not: the aforementioned police, the promise of safety should I remain in my own lane. The eerie vine of nervousness crept into my gut, spurring a jolt of adrenaline into my heart to make me uneasy. The thought goaded me—accused me. You don’t have the guts.

I didn’t.
It’s probably a good thing, looking back. It’s strange to think, however, that there are things I refuse to do simply because I’ve never seen them done, or done them myself. I could fill a book with the things I’ve seen. I could fill volumes with things I haven’t. I’ve never seen cattle take flight. I’ve never seen a sunset in Jerusalem.

Because I’ve never seen it—does that make it not happen? Is it impossible? I have seen men live; they breathe, they eat. But I’ve never seen one die.

And they do.
I’ve seen the effects of death. I’ve felt the effects of its icy grip on a loved one.

I’ve never seen a man crucified. I’ve never seen a man raised from the dead.

To think…
Could a man return from death? Conquer it?
Could a man be perfect—sinless?
Could a perfect God wrap Himself in flesh?
Could a wretched man be made clean? For nothing?

No price?
No demand?

My economics professor told me there is no such thing as a free lunch. Nothing free at all, to broaden it. Someone has to pay for it.

He’s right.

I’ve been told that man’s heart is desperately wicked. The evidence is buried in my chest. Some things need not be seen. Some things require trust, and faith.

Someone paid my debt. I didn’t even see it happen. But I heard about it.
And oh, I’ve felt its effects.

When something bad happens, there is a good chance you will hear or say one of two phrases: “Don’t worry” or “Pray for me.” I realized how odd it sounds if you switched the two: “Don’t pray” or “Worry for me.”  I’m sure we’ve all asked someone to pray for us, but have we ever asked anyone to worry for us?  Why not?

Worrying will do nothing for us, as Matthew 6:27 states, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”  In contrast, we all know the power of prayer.  Psalm 50:15 says, “…call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”  It’s amazing to me that the urge to pray to God and the reflex to spurn worry is common to us all.