Today we have a review of one of the more surprising releases of the year,
the collaboration of a number of big-name Christian artists from different
genres to create the project Peace of Mind. This is a disc that is
definitely unique, but will not appeal to all rock or hip-hop fans. I've
been listening to it a lot lately, and it's cool, at least for the moment.
Also, this week we have more new reviews online as well as new releases from
Margaret Becker and By The Tree.

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PEACE OF MIND - PEACE OF MIND (2003)
by Jon Corbin

"KJ-52 doing rock?"

That is the question most are asking at the release of Peace of Mind, a side
project of the popular Christian rapper. Peace of Mind is a fusion of rock,
hip-hop, punk and reggae that brings together an all-star list of producers
who draw from years of experience in the Christian industry.

Todd Collins, who has produced for KJ, John Reuben, Out of Eden and
Sandtown, does the majority of the work behind the boards. Fresh from his
work with Toby Mac and Tait, Pete Stewart adds his skilled production as
well as guitar and bass work for the album. Rick May, a drummer for Stewart
and dc talk in the past, demonstrates his versatility in the various song
styles. Finally, post-production genius F. Reid Shippen contributes his song
writing ability to the project.

The opening number "Turn It Up!" grabs the listener's ear with an
electrifying guitar riff and intelligent tempo changes as KJ delivers
humourous verses on his place in music. KJ's hip-hop vocals master the rock
sound very well on the first few tracks. "Don't Ever Give Up" sees great
guitar and bass interplay from Stewart, with honest storytelling from KJ. He
taps into stories of pain including missing children and child abuse, while
encouraging the listener to never give up. "I Am" is an edgy song with
abrasive guitar lines and thundering drums that portrays Christ as the
all-powerful God. A delightful change of pace comes with the upbeat "We Gon'
Make It," as KJ tells the story of a divorce through a child's eyes. The
programmed drums and soothing vocals of Todd Collins are the standout
elements in this song.

The R&B influence is seen on "After All." This delicate tune is handled
expertly by the musicians as KJ rhymes about God's work in his life. The
band shows its skill with the sleeper hit "Scream." KJ rhymes over off-time
drum lines from May about the struggles people face as they search for
meaning in life. The soaring chorus contains a full blast of rock energy
that compliments the hip-hop verses. This track is truly original art.

For the successes of the band in fusing these styles together, some
experimental efforts are very disappointing. KJ's attempted reggae vocals on
"Where You Gonna Go" and the punk rock laugher "Will You Go Out With Me"
have no business being here, showing the band got lost out in left field.
The "true" rapcore efforts ("Coming Soon" and "Crucify") don't measure up.
"Coming Soon" is an apocalyptic vision where a half-hearted church member
gets confronted with his sins that turns cheesy when it is revealed that it
was "just a dream." "Crucify" is a decent attempt at describing Jesus'
death, but the concept does not have the musical weight behind it for the
song to fly.

Out of the ten songs, there are six worth listening to on a repeated basis.
Yet there is a lot of promise shown by this band. Another effort would be
appreciated, hopefully with a stronger rapcore effort, more rock songs and
concepts that are not so clichéd.

Find out more about KJ-52:
http://cMusicWeb.com/hiphop/kj-52


OTHER NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM

Review: Believe - Big Dismal
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/bigdismal/believe.shtml

Review: Beautiful Lumps of Coal - Plumb
http://cMusicWeb.com/pop/plumb/beautifullumpsofcoal.shtml

Review: One More Last Time - Radial Angel
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/radialangel/onemorelasttime.shtml

Interview: Owen Thomas of the Elms
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/theelms/interview2.shtml


AVAILABLE TUESDAY, JULY 1 (at cMusicWeb.com or your local music store)

GREATEST HITS - KATHY TROCCOLI
Kathy Troccoli has been making the hits for Inspirational radio for years,
and for that, we don't even recommend getting her Greatest Hits disc, unless
you want it to go to sleep to.

JUST COME IN - MARGARET BECKER
After a four year absence, Margaret Becker is back with a self-produced
album. The
stripped-down recordings include some of her most-loved classics as well as
a bunch of new tunes, and will be our PICK OF THE WEEK, especially for those
who grew up listening to Margaret Becker.

ROOT - BY THE TREE
Although only one member of the original Dallas-based band remains, Chuck
Dennie is leading the band back to it's roots, with a more organic sound and
even bringing back the song "Shoot Me Down." It's definitely a welcome
sight, and could be their most successful disc yet.


Thanks for reading this week's cMusicMail. We'll be back next week with
even more great content. If you have any comments or questions, please reply
to this e-mail or send them to webmaster@.... We'd love to hear
from you!

Dan Ficker
http://cMusicWeb.com/
a different approach to music
AOL IM - dMusicWeb










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