It's hard to have anything but high expectations from an artist who has received the Dove Award for Female Vocalist of the Year four times in a row, and Natalie Grant's sixth album, Love Revolution, finally displays the renown artist pushing the boundaries a little. Love Revolution started as a movement based on Natalie's work raising awareness of human trafficking. Grant has always been a strong advocate for this issue, and in 2005, she started a non-profit organization called The Home Foundation. It's clear that this album is her boldest to date.
The album kicks off with an electronic-inspired track, "Daring To Be," and from the get-go, it's clear this isn't going to be your mother's Natalie Grant record. It presents brutally honest, bold lyrics like "I'm waving goodbye to my pretty little life, taking Your hand and crossing that line." The title track keeps the upbeat pace going, but this time with a more acoustic-based approach. "Beauty Mark" is another highlight in this vein.
The first radio single, "Greatness of Our God," a Hillsong cover, honestly feels really out of place on this album. Its generic sound and lyrics make it a really mediocre track, especially when stuck right in the middle of a slew of amazing songs. It's an even bigger disappointment that this song was chosen as the album's lead single.
"Human" is a personal favorite song on the album. Co-written with American Idol winner, and fellow believer, Jordin Sparks, it takes a simple message and makes it seem profound. The slick electronic-fused R&B style of the song make it sound more like something Sparks would sing as opposed to Grant.
The album seems to be divided into halves, with the first half being upbeat call-to-action anthems (with the exception of "Greatness"), and the latter half being made up of worship songs. Three of these worship songs are actually cover songs, and they're mostly hit-and-miss. "Power of The Cross" (originally by Keith & Kristyn Getty) is a pretty generic song, and it's one of the album's weaker tracks. She does a decent cover of Brooke Fraser's "Desert Song," although it doesn't best Fraser's original. The Michael Neale and Kristy Nordhiff penned track, "Your Great Name," is the best cover on the album. This unique worship track builds and builds until it reaches its powerful climax, and it's one of those songs that would move me to tears in a worship service. "You Deserve," the lone original of the worship tracks, is probably the best one. One listen to this song, and you'll know exactly why Natalie has earned the Female Vocalist title.
"Someday Our King Will Come" is a throwback to old black gospel spirituals. Its repetitive, easy to sing along with sound makes it one of the most fun tracks on the record. The album's final two songs, "Song to The King" and an acoustic version of "Your Great Name," are solid tracks but aren't highlights. The acoustic "Your Great Name" is nowhere near as powerful as the other version, and ends up sounding really bland.
Overall, Natalie Grant's sixth album has both good points and low points. The worship songs especially are hit-and-miss and I would have favored original tracks over covers. However, all of the upbeat songs are done particularly well and serve as the highlights of the album. Diehard Grant fans will absolutely love this Revolution, and casual fans should find a handful of likable tracks.
- Review date: 8/21/10, written by Matthew Watson of Jesusfreakhideout.com
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