Customer Reviews

Reiterate

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

 

 

Spending the majority of their career as one of the cornerstone acts on the Christian record label, Gotee Records, they parted ways and went onto Sony BMG with "Reiterate".

The sound is a slight departure from some of their previous works, but it still reps who GRITS are. I kind of miss some of the deep thought processes they would spit on a track. It features Dan Haseltine from Jars of Clay, Annie Peters, former LA Symphony member, Pigeon John, Marc Dickerson, rappers/producers IZ and Pettidee, Christian pop star Britt Nicole (who first worked with them on their "Redemption" CD), Third Day frontman, Mac Powell, Gospel artist & worship star, Martha Munizzi, Gotee president & artist, TobyMac, and new artists Casme, Scientist and Jade Harrell.

Some of the beats and melodies helps you to focus more on the Lord, get your bounce on with its catchy basslines and takes you back to the 1990s with its techno-inspired undertones.

Though, it's not one of 2008's best releases, it helps to welcome back Bonafide and Coffee into the Christian rap spotlight. We missed you guys.

Reiterate is definitely better than the previous Redemption album. Grits seemed to hit the jackpot on a lot of experiments here: from some throwback beats like Something About You to mainstream-type arrangements like Fly Away. There are great mixes of vocals too. Few overused backup vocal arrangements will be I Run & Reminds Me (they start out nice but then get pretty repetitive towards the end). Overall rating: 4/5.

Grits is one of those groups that you always expect something different. It is never like the last CD or anything that they brought out before. Reiterate falls into that same pattern. They switched up there style and experiment with some new things. This is one of those CD's that you can play from start to finish without skipping a track.

My first CD from grits but I like it. Its positive music you can reealy dance to!

they are back even though we thought they wasnt going to be this album is banging. If you like smooth tracks with hit home lyrics this album is nice. Grits made me mad when I notice them straying from the Jesus talk to the hidden message form that is presented on their newer albums, but I know these guys rep christ so I can appreciate their music I can tell you that if you listen to the lyrics you'd see that they do still bring that message (on most of 'em). Bone and Coffee is a real duo and tried a whole new style of music mixing different genres of music together one being Sky May Fall, others like Fly away and even the make no sense Get it started (to me doesnt fit in the album at all). I love Beautiful Morning its that old style Grits where they bring a southern style of rhythm and Pigeon John just completes the track. They also made me mad because I bought the 5 for 5 they were selling on there myspace page which was just put on this album. In all this album is good I cant complain too much they delieverd to me, if you like grits then buy this album you wont be disappointed.

In 2008, the hip hop duo the Grits returned with a new effort, "Reiterate". This is their first album on their label Revolution Art after parting ways with their longtime label Gotee Records. Lyrically, Bonafide and Coffee are still in top form- it's just the production that's the problem. They haven't worked with Incorporated Elements since 2004, but they did make a great album without them, which is 2006's "Redemption". Most of the production is handled by Mo Henderson with a few done by T-Dogg. There are a few songs on here that will grab you attention, such as "Livin' Dreams", "Something About You" and "Say Goodbye" which features dc Talk frontman (and their former label boss) tobyMac. This album is pretty much the weakest in their catalogue and doesn't hold up well after the first listen.

Grits was the rap duo that got me into the whole Christian hip-hop scene in 1995 with their second album "Factors of the Seven." They progressively and with good production created new albums that reflected the changing music scene with "Art of Translation," "Redemption," and "Dichotomy A" and "B."

This album, on their new label, is another attempt to push the boundaries and create music that is experimenting with new styles of beats and genres that retain a hip-hop feel. The experiment produces mixed results.

The album kicks off well with "Sky Falls Down," "Walking My Way," and "Fly Away." The first three songs have great production. "Sky Falls Down," with Dan Haseltine and a guest female vocalist rock it with a somber tune about the plight of the world. "Walking My Way" is a song that is reminiscent of their old-skool Grits days. "Fly Away" is an accomplishment. It throws in a very dramatic, audio electronic arc like music you hear on German techno scenes. Mix that with a driving guitar riff in the chorus, and throw in a combo of Grant Dickerson/Mac Powell of "Third Day," you got yourself a banging track.

After that track, the album suffers from some issues. "Turn It Up," is an ambiguous club track that has no meaning, especially if this album represents Christ. It feels like rappers Bonafide and Coffee want to just a take a step back and make a fun track. Other problems include the rapping styles of the two pros. Albums past their profound thinking rhymes matched well with the old-skool beats. But now they have to seriously dumb down their lines in order to make it fit the high-tech whoppers of production.

Add the fact that it feels GRITS are slurring their rhymes together because of the fact that production takes precedence over quality lyricism. The lyrics seem lazy and catching up to the rhythms, and the profundity of their Christian-based lyrics past does not seem there.

Overall, the "Dusk Till Dawn" track has a very awkward approach, and the rapping seems just mediocre. "Reminds Me" is a cool anthem...but can get quite long...and "I Run" has a typical "Redemption" album sound, but nothing to write home about.

This album is mediocre. There are some tracks that are good for your stereo. But if you want something more profound and good music for the soul, this is not it.