Customer Reviews

Defying Gravity

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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!!!!

John Elefante continues to show the world his God-given talents are truly a gift from above. This man set the rock and roll world on fire in 1980 with Kansas and he continues to grow in leaps and bounds. "Defying Gravity" is his best solo work yet. This is the kind of album that will speak to anyone who listens with powerful lyrics, delivered with an even more powerful voice. More than two years after its release I still catch myself singing tunes from this CD. If you love music sung to perfection then I encourage you to buy this CD. John is truly a gift from God and I can't wait to hear his powerful voice again.

If you are looking for an album full of power, excellent production, superb compositions and first-rate musicianship in the CCM genre, this is it! Not to mention that John Elefante sounds better and better. His vocal interpretation, passion, range and quality is hard to beat (or match).

Although his previous works with KANSAS and his other solo efforts have been good, what stands out most with Defying Gravity, among other things, is the lyrics. More straight-forward and uncompromising.

This one is well worth the admission price. If you dismiss Defying Gravity, you'll miss out on one of the best CCM offerings in a while.

While Defying the CCM formulamatic norm, this is a CD the whole family should enjoy!

I'd give it 4 1/2 stars ...

- Scriptor

Great vocals, Great writing, wonderful harmonies, and masterful musicianship. This disc is filled with exciting and meaningful music sung from the heart. I picked this CD up after researching music from "Kerry Livgren." I knew John was a member of "Kansas" for a while, but I never Knew what became of him after his departure from them. I am glad this CD is now in my collection.This disc is very upbeat, and I can always count on it to lift my spirits. I would love to see John team up with Kerry for a couple of songs. They both are incredible composers with a strong faith in God, and have written some of the most beautiful music you will ever hear. This CD Defys gravity, and 95% of the Christian music on the market.

I picked this CD up for the song "Home With A View" but found the full CD was worth every cent! Great music and fun music. Other great songs on the album are "Exit 39", "Defying Gravity" and "Give It All Away".

As someone always in search of good Christian music I spend alot of time listening to 100's of different titles on the Resound machine at the local bookstore. Be it praise and worship or Hardcore Metal, I don't discriminate and over the years I've picked up a large of array of CD's now nearing the 500 mark. While I've now listened to all John Elefante's albums trying to find one like this one I have had no such luck. This is a great album and unique in itself. It seems that John struggled through bad production in previous attempts and never had the formula to produce a "defying gravity" before or after. Like all great albums the music flows from one song to the next and is highlighted by strong lyrics and what would seem a vast amount of instrumentation at John's disposal. The highlight of the album to me would be the 3rd Cut, "the stream", if John Elefante ever fell into a perfect song for his voice and instrument box this would be it. As artists in general struggle to find themselves, occasionally a great album comes out, examples of this are without number, as are the hopeless albums they produced before and after their moments of grandeur. Everything else aside, this is an album worth having, it's emotional and heartfelt and amazingly put together, a true masterpiece of Christian music.

What can I say but, John , you've outdone yourself! I switch back and forth as to what I like better, Corridors or Defying Gravity. You will not be sorry if you purchase this. Holds up well to the Elefante tradition. Classic!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't think they could beat "Corridors", but the Elefante brothers have outdone themselves. "If You Just Believe" reaches deep down into your soul, and "The Truth, The Life" is an amazing praise & worship song. I bought this cd for "Home With A View" and was pleased when I found ALL the songs great.