Customer Reviews

FREE AT LAST

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I detest hip-hop. Really. I hate it. In fact, when I first heard Luv Is A Verb on Intermission, I thought, "They're kidding...right?" and had no interest in purchasing "whatever cd that came from." And I didn't until I heard great things about it. Since everyone who had heard it told me they loved it, I decided I should try it out, but only if it was cheap, which it was. I couldn't believe how good it was! It starts out with Luv Is A Verb, and I thought, "whatever, heard that before", but the rest of the cd is almost perfect!
There are a few interludes that are basically not worth the time, but if you're in the mood they can be funny.

The primary songs are (just skip down if you already know about them from other reviews):

1. Luv Is A Verb - Enter the infamous, "down with the dc Talk, d-d-down with the dc Talk, are you down with the dc Talk, d-d-down with the dc Talk." I can't count the number of people who I have heard make fun of those lines. But if you try to forget that, the lyrics are very good. "Luv is enough if it's unconditionally, given now ya livin' out the Great Commission" Great words. Toby McKeehan really outdid himself on this song. (I'm trying to omit how tired of this song I am. It's a great song, but it can get old really fast.)

2. That Kinda Girl - This song describes the "kind of girl" that "loves the Lord" and is "virtuous in every way". Toby raps his head off in this one. Kevin and Michael still both have great voices, but back in '92, they had incredible voices, which are displayed in this song and actually, in all the tracks. The beat is undeniably an early-nineties beat, but it's catchy, and more of that comes up next.

3. Jesus Is Just Alright - If you think about it, dc Talk have done scads of cover songs, probably their most known one being "In The Light", but this one is not to be ignored. Toby's rap is so catchy it's bound to be in your head, at least in small portions, for a week or so, even if you only listen to it once. The part that always gets stuck in my head is the last rap part, which is "Never trite when I write cause the Lord is my light and His word is my bond so ya know (know, know), He's alright." Great beat, underlined with repetetive but not annoying keyboards.

4. Say The Words - This is probably one of my favorite dc Talk songs, but not this version. You've probably heard "Say The Words (NOW)", which is the remix of this song. This version is lacking in any melody other than what is sung by Michael and Kevin. The rest is an overuse and underuse of bass and electric guitars. But Toby's rap toward the middle is great, climaxing with "choose to lose the pride that may tug at you, don't be afraid of the words I love you".

5. Socially Acceptable - This has slowly become my favorite song off this. Toby later described this song as one of the "phatest" beats off this cd. It is. My favorite lyrics from this one are the poignant words in the chorus, "it's okay, in whose sight?" Good reminder that it's not okay to do what everyone else is doing, just because they're all doing it.

6. Free At Last - "WHAT???" Don't be distraught at the first 30 seconds. Soon the strange intro morphs into one of the most awesome Christian songs of the 90's. Backed by a choir in the chorus, this showcases Michael Tait and Kevin Max Smith's best vocals. Toby's rapping, too, is some of the best in their history. "The father first receives us, the truth then frees us, forgiven, now I'm living like a man full of Jesus", that's some handy rhyming if you ask me.

7. Time Is... - "Straight up rock-n-roll", it begins...well, maybe. This is probably the most guitar-driven song on Free At Last, but definitly short of rock-n-roll. However, I personally love the almost uncontrollable sound of Kevin Max's vocals on the chorus. Mike Tait's voice is good here too, and Toby constantly is rapping "tick tock tickedy tock". The song drifts into a rock song with a strange beat, then, according to Toby's "orders", they "break it down" and return to hip-hop. But it goes back to that rock/pop beat towards the end again. This is a genius song.

8. The Hardway - "I guess I'm the kind of guy that has to find out for myself." This song, according to Tobymac, has been remade more than four times (I only count four, but he knows best, I guess). This song is a great song that ends with "I'm on my knees and I'm crying for help." This is the only song that is not fast-paced, and as such, had to be included on Intermission, but this version is great, too. It's a beautiful cry out to God acknowledging His power and our weakness.

9. Lean On Me - "Oldie but a goodie", the first words you hear on this song, are definitive of this song. It's an awesome rap/hip-hop version of the original song by Bill Withers. Don't think this version is anything like what you could've heard on the radio. Toby's rap isn't included in the edited radio version. I think they drive the song rather well, so don't miss this song.

10. I Don't Want It - Song about abstaining from sex until marriage. Good message, good beat, and Toby's rapping isn't even in the least bit annoying. Kevin's and Michael's singing are great. Again, their vocals are even better in this song than in the later songs.

11. Word 2 The Father - Just when you think they've outgrown their "rapping language" you hear this song. It's good, but so reminiscent of Nu Thang (but that should, of course, be expected, since the song is a pun on all the names of their songs from Nu Thang), it's just kind of annoying.

Overall, this is an awesome cd, I suggest it for Christians; who love music, or dc Talk, or even modern Christian rap/hip-hop, since this is how it all started. If you want more of "Jesus Freak", go try "Supernatural" instead, but if you even remotely liked "Nu Thang", even if just for its nostalgic value, you will absolutely love this cd.

I bought "Jesus Freak" and fell in love with DC Talk for the first time. The music was skillfully produced, intricate and diverse; the lyrics powerful. So I rushed out to buy anything else by DC Talk I could find. I found "Free At Last."

The first time I played it, I was VERY disappointed. I've never been a big fan of rap, and I thought this album was too "loud" and was void of talent. I put the CD away and didn't play it again for 2 months.

The next time I played it, I read the words as I listened, and was impressed that "at least the lyrics are good." I realized that it wasn't really all rap (it's actually rock with rap artfully woven in), but at the time I still thought the music left a lot to be desired. Again, I put the CD away for a while.

A few months later I played the CD again... and again, and again, and again, and again. Suddenly, I could not stop playing it. I could not get enough of it. And I could NOT (unlike most CDs - even Jesus Freak) even get tired of it.

The music is POWERFUL, upbeat, makes you move, makes you think. The lyrics are awesome, and speak directly to you on a personal level (deals directly with many issues faced by younger people, but I'm 29 and can still identify!!).

Bottom line: Listen to it, then listen to it again. If you really love music (and God), you'll become a fan of DC Talk and "Free At Last" for life.

- TJS

Free at Last, the last majority filled with hip hop and rap album by Christian superstars dc Talk is a true classic. When it comes time for dc Talk to release a much in demand Greatest Hits package, several cuts from Free at Last are expected to show up such as "Luv is a Verb",the amazing "Jesus is Just Alright",the groovy "Socially Acceptable", the catchy "Say the Words" and the thought provoking "Hardway". I personally favor Supernatural(best album in the history of music) and the mega huge succesful Jesus Freak, but Free at Last shows that dc Talk was worth a listen even before Jesus Freak.

Although "Free At Last" was DC Talk's 4th album, this album was the one that catapulted them to the popularity they enjoyed. In addition, many mainstream Christian radio stations began playing DC Talk on the air for the first time with singles from this album.

Many DC Talk fans consider this ablum to be the groups best, though casual fans will probably recognize the album "Jesus Freak" better. The trio seamlessly blended rap, hip-hop, rock, and various other sounds together in "Free At Last."

In addition to the sounds, this album is also known for the lyrics. Once again, DC Talk sings what they believe, which often causes many non-Christians to turn the album off. For those that do listen, they will end up getting a dose of truth and honesty.

An example of a song that states exactly what they believe, listen to track 14. Mirroring an abstinence vow that the trio made a few years before this album came out, "I Don't Want It" boldly states that sex is meant for marriage and not before. No punches are pulled in this song, like using another word for the word sex.

If you have never listened to DC Talk before, I recommend that you start with this album. It is one of the two best albums that DC Talk has done and will give you a good idea of what they sounded like in their first few years.

Free At Last was the very first album I ever owned, and I loved it from the moment I first listened to it. Unlike future dc Talk albums, this one is completely hip-hop, peppered with danceable beats and fun lyrics.

The best tracks are ones like the timeless "Jesus Is Just Alright", which will forever be a dc Talk staple, "Time Is...", with its rock and roll funkiness, and the head-bobbing "Free At Last". All three dc Talk members were single back then and that shows up in cool songs like "That Kinda Girl" (about marrying a Christian woman) and "I Don't Want It" (a refreshingly candid pledge for abstinence).

Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max have come a long way since their debut self-titled album, "DC TALK" Since then, they have recorded 6 Studio Albums, a Live in Concert CD, a Greatest Hits Album, and each member is working on a solo album. Quite an accomplishment, and that's BEFORE you throw in the fact that 2 of their albums have gone Platinum. Jesus Freak got the group mainstream success like no other Christian band, but what really makes them stand out was the Free at Last Album. If you've just recently started listening to dc Talk, you know their alternative, edgy sound with a touch of beauty. But fans such as I remember the pre-Jesus Freak days. Days when dc Talk stood for (besides Christ) funky music with the hip-hop beat. My first album of the trio was Nu-Thang, and I played it's guts out. It has the funky beat (a White man rapping was pretty cool, as Eminem has found out), and had quality behind it. Songs like NuThang and Walls were really cool. Then I got the Free @ Last Album, and it was a nu-thang. A nu-thang that blew the old thang away. From the moment I heard the words "Take this mug for a ride" in "Luv is a Verb", I was hooked. And every song that followed seemed to drag me in deeper, and deeper. My favorite cut on this cd was Hardway, a song dealing with learning things the hard way (hence the title). In that song, you can really see K-Max's vocals break through. Toby's voice really sounds great in "Word to the Father" a song that never really made it to chart-topping status, but it has remained a personal favorite of mine. Other tracks are just as great, even though I didn't talk about them. Remakes of "Jesus is Just Alright" and "Lean on Me" are nice touches that make this cd shine. If you are a dc Talk fan, what the heck are you doing without this album? If you are just a casual music fan looking for another cd to add to your collection, you can't go wrong with Free at Last. It has classic scribbled all over it.

The third, and probably the most veering toward rock, of the five ground-breaking albums released by DC Talk. This is their best "hip-hop" album, and probably the most identifible with teenagers of that era. You can imagine that if one loses this album and buys another one, that this is keeper. With the hard-edge sound of "Luv Is A Verb" (I love the bridge before the 3rd verse), the remake of "Jesus Is Just Alright," with its uptempo beat and McKeehan swift vocals towards the end (nice bridge), and the mellowed-out "The Hardway," these pretty much give value to the album if it were just those three. An honorable mention to Mike's vocals on "Socially Acceptable" and "Say The Words." I must say that I recommend this to any "old new school" hip-hop (1992 and earlier) and light rock fans, with an appreciation for good Christian music. DC Talk and their music get better with each album.

Don't get me wrong, I liked NU THANG when it came out (heck, I saw them on the tour with Michael W. Smith and my copy is autographed by all 3 of the trio) and still put it on from time to time though I snicker at some of the songs now. Some of that, admittedly, is due to the fact that I'm now 35 and not really in the 'target' audience of teenagers this music was aimed at when it came out in 1992. [I don't feel the empathy with the pro-parental communication message of "Talk it Out" that I may have when I was still a teen myself.]

This one, though: I still listen to it and for the most part it's holding up well outside of a few minor clunkers. This one found the crew working harder to integrate samples, snappy melodies and harmony vocals, more skilled rap (don't get me wrong, Toby Mac has never been a GREAT rapper but he's honed his skills more here. He's more of a 'pop' rapper..akin to the likes of a Will Smith or a member of Bell-Biv-Devoe than a Christian counterpart to 2PAC or Biggie.), and a more cohesive feel to the album as the sound coalesced more into R&B tinged pop with rap icing.

HIGHLIGHTS:
"That Kinda Girl" was the band's statement about the allure of the Proverbs 31 woman, a woman who's "virtuous in every way/The kinda girl that makes me say/I hope she comes my way". It was the antithesis of L.L.'s "Round the Way Girl" and the tune really nails it home with "Hey, the girlie ain't playin'!". "Jesus is Just Alright" is a great techno-influenced jittery update of the Doobie Brothers' classic complete with what is probably Toby's best rap break of the album <right after the "Now we come to the payoff.." sample>. If you can past the jokey intro, title tune "Free at Last" marries a traditional black gospel choir sound to scratching and R&B sounds with a little rock guitar as accent to create an anthem celebrating the life one finds after embracing Jesus. The choir testifyin' on the hook is irresistible but the samples from Martin Luther King just make it niftier. "The Hardway" bemoans the hard lessons learned when we violate God's Word while being honest enough to admit that we all do this as sinners. ("Some people got to learn the hard way/I guess I'm the kinda guy who's got to find out for myself...I'm on my knees and I'm cryin' for help")

LOWS:
"Luv is a Verb" isn't outright bad but it does have some of the most unfortunate rhymes here ("drain-o" and "explain-O"..ACK!). "Lean on Me" is a pretty boring cover that more or less rips off the cover done by Club Nouveau only 4 years before. It simply doesn't add enough different to make the tune DCT's own, save a brief Toby rap break. (The Nouveau rendition stripped the soulful plaintiveness of Bill Withers' original, so I'm not sure why they chose to emulate the clearly inferior version anyhow.) "WDCT" is the weakest of the interludes heard here.

BOTTOM LINE:
Quantum leap from NU THANG. At the time, it managed to get them onto the then super-hip Arsenio Hall show (the "2 Honks and a Negro" bit was taken from that appearance). I consider this their best release. (CCM Magazine has also named this as the #9 Christian album of all time.)

3 1/2 stars

As a person who bought this album the second it came out, I can assure that it is genuine DC Talk goodness. It's a bit different than previous and subsequent releases, but Toby, Kevin, and Michael are at their best on Free at Last.

This album consistently delivers a variety of sounds, not allowing the listener to space out and write the group's music off as same-sounding. I really enjoy the blurbs between songs, such as "WDCT" and "Will Power". It shows that the guys don't take themselves too seriously and like to have fun.

The best feature, however, is definitely the music. DC Talk has a sound all their own, with plenty of variation within that. Their melodies are memorable, their harmonies tight, and their songs kickin'. They take a few songs already in the Christian repertoire, "Free at Last" and "Jesus is Just Alright" for example, and perform them DC Talk style. I like the original songs best, though. The group is composed of greatly gifted songwriters. The tracks are musically sound, but they also deliver powerful messages. These boys got into music to say something. Even if you don't agree with their views, you have to admire thier conviction. They are out-loud Christians who are on a mission to tell the world the world of their awesome savior. Some of my favorites are "That Kinda Girl", "Socially Acceptable", and "The Hardway".

For those of you buying this album after hearing more recent releases, be informed that there is a healthy dose of Christian rap on this album. This, however, is to be expected. It's where the group came from...DC Talk (the album) and Nu Thang, both previous releases, are more heavily rap-laden. The amount of rap has decreased with each album released. I can neither complain of or praise this specific change. I have enjoyed evolving as a listener with the band's ever-changing sound.

I highly, highly recommend this album to any fan of awesome, bold Christian music. You will not be disappointed with Free at Last.

If it's possible to the best DCT album this would have to be it. The only song that's not very good is Hardway. Before you can even settle down after you pop in the CD, you've got the head bangin' beats of Luv Is A Verb, one of their hit songs. They have some hip-hop remakes of those 70's classics Lean On Me and Jesus Is Just Alright. Time Is... is probably the best song on this album. Free at Last is a good hip-hop specimen. There are also the original versions of Say The Words and Socially Acceptable. Word 2 The Father is a sort of tribute to DCT's two previous albums with a rap verse made up of the titles of most of the songs from their two previous albums. Also has a lot of terminology they used on those albims. And of course, this wouldn't be a dc Talk album without the funny interludes. But after all that, I come to the two songs that have spoken to me: That Kinda Girl, and the controverial I Don't Want It. That Kinda Girl talks (in very fast rap) about not searching for a wife, but waiting for God to bring one to you. Will affect any single man's thinking on the subject. I Don't Want It, as you can probably guess from the title, is about abstaining from having sex until you "say the vows". It is the only song I've heard that addresses the subject from a man's point of view. There are others, like Lecrae's Wait and Michael W. Smith's Old Enough To Know, that address this subject from the woman's perspective, but none like this. In a world filled with vile pictures and language, it's a comfort to listen to this song; it will encourage you to "abstain from all sexual immorality" (1st Thessalonians 4:3). This is a great album, pick it up along with Nu Thang.