Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!

JFH Music Review



Justin McRoberts
Deconstruction



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 13 tracks: 48 minutes, 47 seconds
Street Date: March, 2008


Justin McRoberts creates another piece of engaging and thought-provoking folk art with Deconstruction, his sixth LP. The album picks up where Grace Must Wound left off, although this time around the singer's focus is on unraveling commonly held perceptions.

Because each of McRobert's albums sound so similar, it is easy to dismiss him as a one trick pony and label Deconstruction as "more of the same." However, to do so would be a gross oversight. What McRoberts does, he does well, and his songwriting continues to ripen with every new project.

Deconstruction finds McRoberts in a pensive mood, questioning issues such as gluttonous patriotism ("America and the Soul"), misguided music critics ("Deconstruction"), and man's ability to understand concepts such as love and forgiveness on his own ("Common Sense"). While listening to the album, I found myself comparing it to what is arguably Derek Webb's greatest work, Mockingbird. Like Webb, McRoberts is not afraid to speak plainly and openly about what he sees as problems within the Church, and he calls followers of Christ out on issues they may prefer to keep quiet. On the title track, McRoberts poignantly sums up a frustration that seems to be growing among artists who are Christian (as well as people like myself) by writing, "They say it's not about performance. They say it's all about the heart. But every critic with his pen or his computer talks about effectiveness and not about the art."

The only issue I have with McRoberts on this album is that sometimes his lyrics get lost within his arrangements and hypnotic voice. At times I found myself focusing only on the sound of the song and completely missing the meaning. Because McRoberts' voice is so powerful, it can overshadow his lyrics and the listener can inadvertently reduce the album to background music. That being said, if one takes time to soak in both the music and the lyrics, he will find Deconstruction to be a rich and rewarding listen.

- Review date: 2/22/09, written by Laura Nunnery of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!

 

. Record Label: None
. Album length: 13 tracks: 48 minutes, 47 seconds
. Street Date: March, 2008
. Buy It: JustinMcRoberts.com
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Done Living (3:09)
  2. America And The Soul (3:54)
  3. A Hope Deferred (3:47)
  4. Driving By The Accident (3:43)
  5. Deconstruction (3:48)
  6. When It Don't Come Easy (5:00)
  7. Religion Poisons Everything (3:44)
  8. On The Night You Were Betrayed (2:53)
  9. Bullhorn Theory (3:43)
  10. Hope Is Where We're Starting From (4:43)
  11. Common Sense (3:25)
  12. Until There Is No Tomorrow (3:41)
  13. My Only Victory (3:23)

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!

Search JFH



This Wednesday, August 13, 2025
ALBUMS
Various Artists Songs We've Been Trying To Tell You About (And Others We Haven't), Vol. 14 [JFH Music]

This Friday, August 15, 2025
ALBUMS
Mark Bishop Grandkids - EP [Sonlite]
The CCC Collective Brooklyn Culture (independent)
Equippers Worship Awe [DREAM Worship]
The Final Witness Beneath The Altar [Rottweiler]
Grammatrain Flying Collector's Edition CD [Girder]
Grammatrain Lonely House 30th Anniversary Edition CD [Girder]
Katy Nichole Honest Conversations [Centricity]
Relentless Pursuit Apocalypsis (independent)
V1 Worship Archives [DREAM]
Joel Vaughn Feel It - EP [DREAM]

SINGLES
Johan Åsgärde Coming Home - Single [Gotee]
Dave Barnes Everything But Mine - Single (independent)
Jeff Deyo There is a Fire - Single (independent)
Steven Malcolm All God - Single [Curb]
Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, & Elevation Worship So So Good (Live) - Single [Fair Trade]

VINYL
Grammatrain Flying Vinyl [Girder]
Grammatrain Lonely House 30th Anniversary Edition Vinyl [Girder]
Newsboys Going Public Vinyl [Girder]

Next Friday, August 22, 2025
ALBUMS
Lecrae Reconstruction [Reach]
Lizzie Morgan Not My Will [Provident]
Josiah Queen MT. ZION [Capitol CMG]

SINGLES
Dust and Grace Hallelujah - Single [MTS]
Good Weather Forecast Today (feat. Elijah Thomas) - Single [DREAM]
Roxanne Grace Try Again - Single [DREAM]
Mainstream Worship Invitation - Single [DREAM Worship]
V1 Worship Been So Faithful - Single [DREAM Worship]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Need proofreading and editing help? We've got you covered! Click here to learn more
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images