It's ten years since dcTalk released their blockbuster hit “Jesus Freak” and Gotee celebrates it with this release in which the album is remade by varying artists from the Gotee stable. Now, I have to be honest, I have never actually heard all of Jesus Freak, I was never a big 'talk fan, although I've heard a few songs, the title track was unavoidable and spawned a generation that proudly call themselves Jesus Freaks, but beyond that I never played it through, so I'm approaching this tribute not as a comparison but as a review on its own musical merits.
As can be expected from an album that draws together so many different artists the styles are numerous and varied, with artists putting a new spin on the songs, from the hard rocking start by 'The Showdown' which I have to say, I didn't think was the best start, however, not being put off I moved forward and there are some real gems on this album, 'Jesus Freak' gets a few takes with the first and musically best coming from the effortlessly funky hip-hoppers 4th Avenue Jones, a reprise is handled by John Ruben and the full Gotee Chior complete with brass section, it's quirky and fun but at the end of the day doesn't stand up as more than just a piece of fun tribute. The album is also closed with another version from Chasing Victory but this didn't work for me at all, the distorted nu-metal style vocals sounded really silly, yes, it's a microphone, yes, you can shout down it and distort your voice, get over it already boys. Sarah Kelly handles the piano led ballad 'As I stumble' very well, while Relient K show the way on 'Between you and me'.
The problem with this record is the pastiche of styles, while it is interesting, it features so many different genres of music that I can't see many people being able to listen to it all the way through, Gotee undoubtedly have some fab artists and they do well, however, how many people are fans of The Showdown and also Sarah Kelly and Ayiesha Woods? Some of the songs do work well, however the album on the whole I found to be let down by acts which don't fit in with mainstream stylings, it would be rare in the secular world to find Slipknot performing on the same record as Rhianna, and likewise the mix here just doesn't sit right. The mainstream styles don't mix well with harder styles of music, and I think trying to mix them here lets the album down.
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