Customer Reviews

Jesus Freak

5 star:		(236)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a Christian CD. Their lyrics praise God, their voices tell about the love of Jesus Christ for the world. It's an amazing CD, really, with melodious Alternative and lyrics that actually mean something to the modern Christian. The most well known song from this CD, the title song, is not the best one, as a matter of fact. There are many other tunes and praises that relate the Message with even more power and hope. As for the Christians who, for some strange reason, feel that DC Talk are not true Christians that will "not go to heaven", in fact, call them "heathens", I have to say that it's "Christians" like them who shame this religion. It says in the Bible not to judge others. God is the only judge, and it is not up to man to proclaim who is going to heaven and who is not. I don't pretend to know that DC Talk is truly Christian. But I don't pretend that they aren't. I believe they are and I know that their music does help me in my faith. So please, don't judge- especially when a band like this makes such amazing music.

Being a fan of many musical genres, it seemed only a matter of time before I began listening to Christian rock/rap/r&b/gospel/etc. I was first exposed to Christian artists such as Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman. As my "secular" tastes changed, however, I wanted to explore more of Christian music's offerings. I found early on that most Christian artists who didn't sing gospel music were usually carbon copies of mainstream, secular bands who didn't sing about sex or drugs. Thankfully, the good Lord saw this and brought along groups such as PFR, the Newsboys and DC Talk. These groups sang their own style of music and revealed to us that Christianity isn't always good times at the church social, but an ever-changing lifestyle that brings with it persecution, humility and pain beyond mortal man's imagination.
Perhaps that is why I was originally drawn to "Jesus Freak" and a multitude of albums from other artists who were brave enough to stand up to the preachers and say, "You've got to reach out to people on terms that they understand."
You won't here Twila Paris or Sandi Patti singing about racism or how your personal image can destroy the impressionable minds of others. DC Talk does.
"What If I Stumble" is a question that I see very few so-called Christians asking themselves these days. With no intent to sound preachy or high and mighty, most folks these days who claim to be washed in the blood seem to wash their hands of those people that they should be reaching out to. I used to be a Protestant, but I grew weary of the hypocrites that I saw in the bar on Saturday and then the pew on Sunday. Now a Catholic, I realize that hypocrisy bleeds over into all religious belief systems, because there are just as many hypocritical Catholics as there are Protestants.
Moving on, "Jesus Freak" is the ultimate, in-your-face testament to being a Christian. But even it begs the question, "What will people think?" In the end, however, we learn that it doesn't matter what others think so long as we are living the way we should. There is no hiding your true self, advice which many Christians should heed.

"In the Light" is a Charlie Peacock tune that shows us a Christian struggling to be more like Jesus, and less like a man. It shows a person just how complicated internally that a real Christian can be.

"Colored People" may seem like a song about race on the surface, but its underlying theme is that we should not only get along with each other, but embrace each other for our differences instead of looking down on people whom we feel are less than us.

This album throws chinks in the armor of Christianity. It reveals the doubts and fears of true Christians, something rarely sung about in contemporary Christian music. Once again, it took rock n' roll to reveal what TRUE Christians are made of. They aren't perfect, and they know it. Yet they don't badger those who may not "look" as Christian as they do. You quickly realize that TRUE Christians are not some snobby group of people who try to force their beliefs on others, but they have fears and concerns like everybody else, and they do not alienate themselves from others because they are different. As a matter of fact, a true Christian WILL be in the bars on Saturday, but he'll bring a few friends to church with him on Sunday, instead of trying to hide from the other churchgoer he saw plastered on the sidewalk of a local dive.

Buy this album if you want a taste of real Christian concerns, and not the plastic Christianity that so many of us have to deal with each day.

dc Talk hit it big with "Free At Last" in 1992. That album was one of the best that had ever been made by any Christian group. Many thought that these three guys would not be able to duplicate that success.

They were wrong.

"Jesus Freak" has sold over 2 million albums since it debuted in 1995, making it one of the best selling Christian albums of all time. In addition, many more people became familiar with the group because of all the airplay many of these songs received on both Christian and secular radio stations. To this day, Christian radio plays more dc Talk songs from this album than all their other albums combined.

dc Talk blended a mix of song styles in "Jesus Freak," from rap, to rock, to grunge, to ballad. Unlike most of their previous effort, all three members exercise their vocal talents throughout the album.

As with the previous albums, "Jesus Freak" does not skimp on the missage or the words used to convey that message. Although there is no direct abstinence message like there was in "Free At Last," the second track, "Colored People," touches on the often controversial issue of skin color with their typical up-frontness.

If you are new to dc Talk, this album is the one to start with. It will give you a great appreciation for the talent of these three guys and will wet your appetitate for the rest of their work.

I can't even begin to describe how great this album is. It's rock ranges from the heavier side to the softer side. It is a great album for anyone. it also dispels the thought that all Christian music is sappy. My mom couldn't believe that Christian music could sound like this. This CD rocks. It's the best rock/alternative album i own, and i can't imagine finding one that could outdo it. My favorites are "What If I Stumble" and "In the Light". "In the Light" is an amazing song. It may be the best rock song I've ever heard.And best of all, unlike most secular rock, the message in it is extremely powerful.. The message of DC Talk's Jesus Freak is extremely powerful. When we played the CD at youth group, several epople were so emotionally wrapped up in the songs, that they began to cry. this CD is a must for any music fan out there. Buy, and enjoy for a lifetime.

I already wrote a review for this, but I wanted to add more... I have just read some of the other reviews, and I don't understand how anyone can say Toby, Kevin and Michael are not Christian or Christianly, they're awesome and on fire for God. Their musical talents have come a long way, from their original rap tunes of *Nu Thang* and *Free At Last*, to their rock sounds of *Jesus Freak* and now to their slower, but not slow, songs of *Supernatural*, to purely understand and know the love their fans have for them and their albums, I would recommend buying *Welcome To The Freak Show*, which is a live album with songs from multiple cds, and while you're at it, buy *Jesus Freak* and *Supernatual*, cause they're so awesome!

Keep the spirit alive, the Holy Spirit that is, feed your soul with the Christian tunes. G'bye & God Bless ya'll!

This album is without a doubt the very best Christian rock cd ever put out. Few people realize this but dc Talk were one of the first band - and certainly the first Christian band - to mix rap with rock. Every song on this cd is a classic but my personal favorites are:

Jesus Freak
Day by Day
In my mind's eye
In the Light

The songs are upbeat and the message is a positive one. If you only buy it one Christian cd, make it this one and you won't be sorry.

No collection of contemporary Christian music is complete without this album, Jesus Freak, dc Talk's 1995 follow-up to Free at Last. Toby McKeehan, Kevin Max Smith, and Michael Tait have created an excellent album, ranking right up there in my top ten favorite albums of all time. Although not quite as good as Supernatural, Jesus Freak is almost its equal and is a very excellent album. My personal favorites include, Colored People, Jesus Freak, Between You and Me, Like it, Love it, Need It, Mind's Eye, and the untitled poem by Kevin Max Smith at the end. Other songs include: So Help Me God, What If I Stumble?, Day by Day, Mrs. Morgan, Jesus Freak Reprise, In the Light, and What Have We Become.

In concluding this review, I say that anyone who enjoys Christian contemporary music will definitely enjoy this album. I highly reccomend it. I also highly reccomend other Christian contemporary music groups and artists, such as: Jars of Clay, Newsboys, The W's, Rhubarb, John Rheuben, and just about all other Christian contemporary music!

"jesus freak", which was released nine years ago, still seems to stand the test of time (a decade) because of the chances it took, the versatility, and the various audiences it appealed to. dc talk were inarguably one of the most popular contemporary christian groups of not only the '90s, but of all time.

i was raised in a christian household, but it wasn't forced on us and we listened to any random secular music you'd care to mention. the stuff i listened to in elementary school were from the likes of sheryl crow and the newsboys, and i didn't get into dc talk until i started middle school. most contemporary christian artists come off as manufactured, and although those artists seemed to stamp "FOR GOD" on all of their albums and merchandise, dc talk preferred to reach not only into the heart of someone already saved, but for those who aren't.

this trio brought a new definition to the term "jesus freak"; they embraced it and they condoned it. it basically means an ardent enthusiast, someone that will go to all extremes for something. many christians were ashamed of them, though, and condemned dc talk for being blasphemous and not abiding by the bible. they saw the word "freak" as derogatory and felt it should never be in the same context as jesus christ. in fact, simon maxwell, who directed nine inch nails' infamous "closer", was the same man behind the music video for "jesus freak". these aforementioned christians could not even begin to swallow that.

another very interesting fact about the song "jesus freak", the third track on the album, is it's obvious similarity to that of "smells like teen spirit", stylistically-wise. it begins with a grunged-out ten second intro of the chorus being spoken. next come those drums that dave grohl shoved in our face four years earlier, only toned down a lot -- which is natural, since no one pounds the drums quite like him. then you hear michael tait giving us some introductory lyrics with everything else strictly toned down (like the style of the pixies and nirvana). now you get toby mckeehan showing off some more of his (satisfactory?) rhyming skills, which were nothing new since this trio's previous albums were nothing BUT hip-hop/gospel. still, this is just a little louder than tait, but not as loud as the chorus that follows. it gets gentle again... kevin smith/max comes in with soft/screaming, yet beautiful, melodic vocals. this song was so different from what was being played on regular ccm radio stations, that it quickly appealed to even the rock audience.

what i meant by this album's versatility is that guitars, and the bass derived FROM a guitar, and the non-looping drum beats were relatively new to their repetoire. they also improved their writing to appeal not only to that of the hip-hop or teenage community.

another stand-out track on this highly regarded album is "what if i stumble?", which is something those particular preach-teaching individuals should've taken a listen to before denouncing dc talk in the manner in which they did. everyone is human, and [dc talk] never called themselves the gospel. they never once told their listeners to instead of trusting the bible, to trust their lyrics. these men were in their early thirties when this album came out, and they still recognized there was much to learn, but there was also much that needs to be acknowledged. this track begins with the very stand-out, yet spoken: "THE GREATEST SINGLE CAUSE OF ATHEISM IN THE WORLD TODAY, IS CHRISTIANS, WHO ACKNOWLEDGE JESUS WITH THEIR LIPS, THEN WALK OUT THE DOOR, AND DENY HIM BY THEIR LIFESTYLE. THAT IS WHAT AN UNBELIEVING WORLD SIMPLY FINDS UNBELIEVABLE". take me for example... take any human being.

that said, although this album speaks to me on a level no "my girlfriend left me!" record could convey, i do still recommend this to all fans of music and spirituality. none of these members belong to any particular denomination of christianity, like myself. they broke boundaries, were truly one of the very first to mix rap with rock, and although each has gone solo since their "intermission" in 2000, they should never be regarded as just another religious pop group. they just happened to hold God as a more important topic than some girl or tabloid magazine (sorry guns n' roses).

This one of the greatest cd's to come into the Christian world. The songs on here give me chills and ask questions often by Christians. dc Talk is a very talented band and yet so annointed. They're unafraid of sharing their faith. I've noticed lately popular Christian artists are afraid of putting words like Jesus and God into their work or ask convicting and hard questions for fear that they will not get radio time. The reason why dc Talk is my favorite band is because they add these things boldly regardless of people's reaction; they merely want to touch hearts.

This album makes you think hard about your faith. After listening to it, i felt so committed that i didn't care if I was "labeled a Jesus Freak" because that's what makes God so proud to call you his child. I know that all audiences-secular or Christian-religious or nonreliguos-anyone is capable of falling in love with the trio's uncanny ability to draw attention to their work. Before, I was unsure but now I am proud to call myself a Freak.

"Jesus Freak" is a great Christian music CD. DC Talk does a marvelous job in converting Christian music in to the rock genre. It also has a small mixture of other music styles thrown in between tracks that add to the Christian nature of the CD but tkae away from its rock basis. Their songs are filled with meaning and well written, especially 'Jesus Freak' and 'Colored People.' They confront the issue of racial discrimination head on in some of their songs. They also have well written music in their songs that matches the lyrics quite well. The only major problem with their music is that it is limited to a Christian audience but i do not consider that necessarily to be a bad thing. overall if you like rock and Christian music you will enjoy this CD.