Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

JFH Music Review


Justin McRoberts, Y-EP
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Justin McRoberts
Y-EP



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 5 tracks: 18 minutes, 27 seconds
Street Date: February 8, 2012


Singer/songwriter Justin McRoberts has 17 full-length albums and EPs to his name, but only two of them, 1999's Reason for Living and 2000's Father, were released via a major label. This piece of information, which might seem trivial at first, takes on a certain gravitas in light of the fact that McRoberts now admits that it was during the writing of Father, his last record before setting sail as an indie artist, that he toned down the language of one of its more controversial cuts for fear that the original wording might adversely affect album sales. Not long thereafter, he vowed to never again compromise his artistic principles; a promise he continues to uphold on his latest undertaking, the C-M-Y triple-EP project.

Like C and M before it, the Y EP finds McRoberts in a characteristically soul-searching, no-holds-barred frame of mind. Those who know him best know that this can make for slightly less than comfortable listening, as it does on "The Fear of God," where he lays out his fears ("My God knows my mind/ And that's what has me worried") and doubts ("There are things I know my God has done/ That strike me both as strange and even wrong") in unmistakably candid fashion. Even more earthy is the language of "Resurrection" ("It's not about the drinking/ It's all about being drunk/ It's not with whom you're sleeping/ It's with whom you wake up"), an open letter to a friend caught in the grips of legalism. In fact, the only track that could be even mildly construed as upbeat is the closer, "Where All the Colors of the World Collide," which reminds the listener that, when all seems hopeless and lost, it is then that God's hand is most clearly recognized.

In much the same way that it mirrors them lyrically, Y also follows the preceding pair of extended players with its instrumental approach as well. Like those outings, the new EP is a stripped-down folk/alt-country hybrid played mostly on acoustic guitar, punctuated here and there by the occasional sparingly-used keyboard or violin. But, while this bare-bones approach was arguably a bit of a liability on the first two installments of the C-M-Y trilogy, thanks to their frequently meandering nature, it actually works as an asset this time out, owing to Y's stronger, more well-defined melodic content and ever-so-slightly more mainstream-inclined production aesthetic.

That being said, even though it nudges things minutely toward the center of the musical spectrum compared to the two EPs before it, nothing on Y (except, maybe, "Collide") sounds even remotely like the sort of thing you'd hear on Christian pop radio. To be sure, even if they were performed with a full-fledged backing band, these tracks hardly seem destined for a slot in the Top 40 singles charts wedged between the latest offerings from, say, tobyMac and Big Daddy Weave. Nor are they the sort of compositions one puts on as background music while they go casually about their business. On the contrary; fiercely gut-level, thought-provoking material like this demands to be not merely heard, but rather carefully dissected and meditated upon at length. Admirable and distinctive as they were, the C and M EPs still felt as if they came close to, but never actually hit, their intended mark. This go around, though, McRoberts proves that the third time is, indeed, the charm.

- Review date: 5/2/13, written by Bert Gangl of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase! Save for the holidays with code JFH20 at checkout!

 

. Record Label: None
. Album length: 5 tracks: 18 minutes, 27 seconds
. Street Date: February 8, 2012
. Buy It: JustinMcRoberts.com

  1. Resurrection (2:57)
  2. The Fear of God (4:30)
  3. Expectation (3:17)
  4. Remember Me Jesus (3:30)
  5. Where All the Colors Of The World Collide (4:13)

 

 

 

 

Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 


(JFH Sponsor Spot)

 

 

                 
Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase! Save for the holidays with code JFH20 at checkout!

Search JFH




This Tuesday, October 29, 2024
SINGLES
Pipe Bomb Hate Club - Single [The Charon Collective]

This Thursday, October 31, 2024
ALBUMS
Neon Horse Habit of Creature - EP [Velvet Blue Music]

This Friday, November 1, 2024
ALBUMS
AWZY Sinners and Saints - EP [DREAM]
Forrest Frank Child of God (Deluxe) [river house]
Future of Forestry Symphonic Christmas (Live) (independent)
Influence Music It's All About You (independent)
The Kingdom Heirs No Better Time [Sonlite]
Limoblaze Young & Chosen (Power Pack) - EP [Reach]
Paul & Hannah McClure Christmas Morning (Re-Release) [Bethel]
Planetshakers Winning Team: Songs For Church (Live) [Venture3Media]
Skillet Revolution [Atlantic]
Sam's the Hero Charlie Cox - EP [Small Step]
Jim "Soni" Sonefeld Light of Joy - EP [Vere]
Ivan Theva Waiting Here for You - EP [Descendent/Provident]
John Van Deusen Anthem Sprinter [Tooth & Nail]
Phil Wickham Hallelujah! It's Christmas! [Fair Trade]
YWAM Kona Music Missionary Anthem - EP [Integrity]

SINGLES
Ayo Shamir, YP aka Young Paul Aaron Judge - Single (independent)
Gabby Barrett O Come, O Come Emmanuel (feat. The Piano Guys) - Single [Warner Music Nashville]
Brennley Brown Mary, Did You Know? - Single [Provident]
Lauren Daigle Then I Will - Single [Centricity]
Dreamers The Reason - Multi-Single [DREAM]
EJ Swavv I Hate Lucy - Single [Syntax]
Jess Ford This is My Jesus - Single (independent)
FYR FYTR So Simple - Single (independent)
Michael Monroe Pour It Out - Single [Provident]
Seph Schlueter We Sing (Joy To The World) [feat. Leanna Crawford] - Single [Provident]
Skye Peterson, Ben Shive Keep the Feast - Single [Getty]
SNT. VINCENT Confession - Single [Syntax]
Cyndi Thompson Silent Night - Single [County Line]
Thrive Worship Hark - Single [Integrity]
Tauren Wells Making Room - Single [Capitol CMG]

VINYL
Skillet Revolution Vinyl [Atlantic]

Next Friday, November 8, 2024
ALBUMS
Gabby Barrett Carols and Candlelight [Warner Music Nashville]
CXMMXNS CXMMXNS Chapter 1 - EP [Essential Worship]
New Hope Oahu There Is One - EP [DREAM]
Neal Morse & The Resonance No Hill For A Climber [InsideOut]
TAKE Time Bomb [Resuscitation Records]
Lauren Talley A Lauren Talley Christmas [Horizon]

SINGLES
Cory Asbury I Hope You Dance - Single [BEC]
Jordan Kauflin, Laura Story Approach, My Soul - Single [Getty]
Sam Bowman & GLADDEN Misfit Toys - Single [DREAM]
Wavorly Enemies - Single (independent)

VINYL
Michael W. Smith Every Christmas Vinyl [Rocketown]
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Vinyl [Frontiers]
TAKE Time Bomb Vinyl [Resuscitation Records]

DVD
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Blu-Ray [Frontiers]



For all release dates, click here!
 



Check out the new album from Taylor Holland Armstrong!



Listen to the new Single from Second Adam and the New Creations!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images