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JFH Music Review




Nicole C. Mullen
A Dream To Believe In, Volume 2



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 11 tracks: 39 minutes and 54 seconds
Street Date: July 22, 2008


Nicole C. Mullen has been a household name in Christian music ever since her breakthrough hit, "Redeemer," back in 2000, and continued with another mega-hit, "Call On Jesus," as well as garnering a Dove Award for Female Vocalist. However, with her fourth release, Sharecropper's Seed, Volume One, Mullen decidedly showcased her own heritage with a series of more mellow, acoustic tracks. The album, nor any of its singles, fared too well with its audience, and with A Dream To Believe In, Volume 2, Mullen returns with a collection of both upbeat and slower tunes.

The theme of Sharecropper's Seed continues with this album: a theme of family and love towards people. Nicole has always been very vulnerable as an artist, and this album strongly highlights that. The record opens with a fitting, yet not really necessary, "I Have A Dream" intro, which features many different people of all backgrounds and ages, saying "I have a dream," repeatedly. The intro leads right into a funky "Look Like Me," something totally new for Nicole. "Look Like Me" is an upbeat track that returns listeners to her Talk About It album, and is the first song to quench those who were disappointed at all by Sharecropper's Seed. However, although Mullen has recorded many upbeat, urban-pop songs before, this one has a guitar-driven, rock flavor to it, which shows a completely different side of her. The song also talks about race, which is a topic Mullen has written about many times before. This new rock-driven style continues in songs like "Like A Lady" and "Like I'm In Love." "Yo Mama" is a slick R&B track, and serves as an ode to the caring mother of a friend. "Brainwash" uses clever lyricism to express the need to infiltrate worldly things, and even has a brief rap in the middle, similar to "This This" from her Everyday People album. However, the chorus seems a bit juvenile with its chanting of "I need a B-R-A-I-N-double-wash."

But those who are still longing for another classic Mullen ballad will sadly not find it here. "Start Over Again" and "Blessed And Broken" are the closest things to ballads on this album, though neither really has the power or punch of songs like "Redeemer," "Come Unto Me," "I Am," or "Call On Jesus." "There Is Still A Dream" is a cover of the song released a few years ago by Aaron Neville and Rachael Lampa for the One project. But Mullen's version doesn't exactly measure up, and her vocals don't soar like Lampa's did, although the "unity" theme of the song does fit well with this album as a whole. "Forever You Reign" could have been a great worship track, but its clichéd lyrics make it feel like just another routine worship song. The album closes with the techno-flavored "Work With Me." Although the song is definitely a fun one, there is no depth to the song at all, and the only lyrics are "Work with me now," and shouts of "Dance!"

A Dream To Believe In, Volume 2 will bring listeners back to Mullen's more upbeat material, but the album collectively just doesn't measure up to some of her previous work. Hopefully Volume 3 will provide a steady mix of everything we've come to know and love about Nicole C. Mullen.

- Review date: 7/22/08, written by Matthew Watson




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. Artist Info: Discography
. Record Label: Word Records
. Album length: 11 tracks: 39 minutes and 54 seconds
. Street Date: July 22, 2008
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. I Have A Dream
  2. Look Like Me
  3. Yo Mama
  4. Feel Like I'm In Love
  5. Still A Dream
  6. Like A Lady
  7. Forever You Reign
  8. Brainwash
  9. Start Over Again
  10. Blessed And Broken
  11. Work With Me (Dance)
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This Friday, June 27, 2025
ALBUMS
7eventh Time Down We Praise You [BEC]
The Browns 25th Anniversary: Better Days Ahead [StowTown]
Franni Cash Wild Child - EP [Capitol CMG]
Matt Crocker interlude [Anotherland]
Jimmy Fortune Songs of an American Dreamer [Gaither]
Roxanne Grace Road Trip - EP [DREAM]
JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise The Live Reunion: Washington, DC [James Town]
Kutless The Seventh Seal - EP [BEC]
Evvie McKinney It Ain't Over - EP (independent)
Rusty Shipp Capsized Empire (independent)
SEU Worship A Forgiving God [Provident]
The Shimmering Carnelians The Doorway (Version 2.0) (independent)
We Are Messengers A Thousand Times - EP [Curb]

SINGLES
Anchor & Braille Rattlesnake - Single [Equal Vision]
ANTHNY imposter syndrome - Single [Provident]
Blanca Right On Time - Single [Curb]
Landry Cantrell & Elenee sunshine & rainbows - Single [DREAM]
Eddie Clark Never Content - Single [Syntax]
Colony House Atomic - Single [Roon]
Megan Danielle Preachin' To The Choir - Single [Provident]
Drea LP & OnBeatMusic Don't Try Me (DTM) - Single [Syntax]
Joseph Habedank Running to Me - Single [Daywind]
Lonnie Hunter Flow (Like A River) - Single [Uncle G]
Kashh Kade HELP - Single [Syntax]
KB x KEANU Keanu's Song - Single [Provident]
Tasha Layton Singing In the Dark - Single [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard The Hand That Keeps Holding - Single [Motown Gospel]
Tim Lovelace Celebration of America Medley (feat. Charlie McCoy) - Single [StowTown]
Lecrae Tell No Lie (feat. Jackie Hill Perry) - Single [Reach]
LO Worship The Perfect Love of Jesus - Single [Integrity]
Patrick Mayberry Thank The Lord - Single [Provident]
Michael Monroe John The Baptist (feat. Chris Renzema) - Single [Provident]
Alexander Pappas A Great Awakening / Un Nuevo Despertar - Single [Integrity]
PEABOD Summer in Seattle - Single [RMG Amplify]
Rave Jesus Walk On The Water Remix (From The Chosen) - Single [Provident]
The Rocky Valentines Nat Song - Single [Velvet Blue]
Saints In Exile & Cutright My Dead End (ft. Jeannie Ortega, Luc DiMarzio, Jericko) - Single [Syntax]
Emilie Weiss Take Care (Studio Sessions) - Single [BEC]

DVD
Jimmy Fortune Songs Of An American Dreamer DVD [Gaither]

Next Friday, July 4, 2025
ALBUMS
Chad Cory America [DREAM]
Tenielle Neda The Way Of Love [Wings]

SINGLES
Christian Back Now - Single [DREAM]



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