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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Astonishing Achievement in the Christian Rock Genre, December 19, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Defying Gravity (Audio CD)
As a devotee primarily of Classical and Renaissance music, I have been unimpressed with most of the Christian rock served up in the last twenty years. Granted, there have recently appeared a handful of non-rockish Christian popular albums that are musically distinguished, but this still is not often the case with those albums that feature an uncompromising, industrial-strength rock style. For one thing the lyrics are usually as shallow as they are banal, and the artist often seems embarrassed to convey an unvarnished Gospel message. Now comes this new contribution from the Elefante brothers, a rock album far superior to anything ever accomplished by the group Kansas, with hefty doses of both full-strength rock and Gospel allusions - all awash in splendid poetic imagery, thanks to the fine writing of the Elefante brothers. Indeed, the album's five best songs are nothing short of brilliant. 'If You Just Believe', 'Pass the Flame', 'Defying Gravity', 'The Truth, The Life', and 'Exit 39' are some of the finest products of Christian rock from the last three decades - easily superior to anything from the now lyrically defunct secular world. Savor, for example, the imagery of this line from the title song,'Defying Gravity', which captures the central irony of the Christian faith: '...Because in order to rise above this world, I have to lay my life down. And when I kneel before you, I'm defying gravity.' That's exquisite stuff. And don't miss the passionate intensity of the magnificent worship hymn 'The Truth, The Life'. By the time one reaches the hymn's chorus, one is ready to fall on one's knees. Certainly don't overlook the opening cut, 'If You Just Believe', in many ways the best crafted song on the album. One factor contributing to the effectiveness of the recording can hardly be underestimated: it fearlessly repairs to New Testament themes for its material and makes no attempt to render its message blander or more 'palatable'. This confers a spiritual power and a profundity missing from much of the sanitized drivel being hawked as 'Christian' music these days. And just compare the philosophical weight - the gravity - of this recording with anything currently available in secular music. Simply a magnificent and moving achievement.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
John Elefante's "Defying Gravity" is absolutely incredible!, August 15, 2000
This review is from: Defying Gravity (Audio CD)
John Elefante's "Defying Gravity" is absolutely the best thing to come along in Christian music ever! The songs on this CD are brilliant, versatile, powerful, and fun! His voice is extraordinary! He is an amazing singer--the best singer in Christian music today! The music is beautifully produced and the musicianship is amazing. The songwriting is superb! He and his brother have an extraordinary gift for delivering powerful, inspirational messages with wonderful, catchy melodies and harmonies that I can't stop listening to! Each song on this CD is unique. "Pass the Flame" is a total masterpiece. "The Truth, The Life" and "Don't Leave the Band" are full of incredible energy, passion and conviction--I can not sit still when I listen to those songs!! "If You Just Believe" is beautiful both lyrically and musically. Every song on this CD is great!!! I love "Defying Gravity" so much that I have purchased quite a number of CDs and cassettes to give to my Christian and non-Christian family and friends. I have told everyone I know about John Elefante and his magnificent music. It is rare that I find a CD that I love entirely from the beginning to the end but "Defying Gravity" is a work of art that is beyond anything I have heard in years (in secular music as well as Christian music). I can not wait to hear what he does next!! In the meantime, "Defying Gravity" will stay in my heart and soul as the most wonderful, inspiring CD I own to date.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Defying "Windows.." and "Corridors", October 15, 1999
This review is from: Defying Gravity (Audio CD)
This is by far John's best solo album. The best song without a doubt--"The Truth, The Life". This album is unique in that it captures the difinative Elefante/Kansas sound and at the same time introduces us to a sound unlike any other Elefante effort---a little country. 2 of the songs on the album, "The Way That You Love Me" and "Pass The Flame" have elements of an unfamiliar country blend I have never heard Elefante do--but he does it well. The typical pop sounds of "Home With A View" and "Give It All Away" and the power of "The Stream" make this album a MUST in your collection of anything having to do with Elefante or the true Kansas fan. Think he no longer sounds like he did when he was with Kansas?? Listen to the title track. It could have been taken right off of "Vinyl Confessions" or "Drastic Measures"!! His BEST album!!!!
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