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Justin McRoberts
Deconstruction



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


 
  
Deconstruction
READER RATING:  Deconstruction
/ 5.0 (0 votes)

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



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Record Label: None
Album length: 13 tracks: 48 minutes, 47 seconds
Street Date: March 2008
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)

 

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This Tuesday, September 1
ALBUMS
Poor Old Lu At The Showbox (independent)

This Wednesday, September 2
SINGLES
Alex Henry Foster Calling Out! - Single [Hopeful Tragedy]
Scroll Eater Consume The Scroll - Single [Facedown]

This Friday, September 4
ALBUMS
Vince Gill 50 Years From Home: Stillwater Night - EP [MCA Nashville]
Dan Musselman Dust and Doxology (independent)
Jeannie Ortega Phantom Love [Syntax]
Rachel Purcell Keep Going - EP [Centricity Music]
Sarah Reeves Standing Up [Curb Records]
Zahna BREAK OR BREAKTHROUGH [XOVR Records]

SINGLES
Beach Chapel Cardiff - Single (independent)
Chris Caro REDEEM - Single [Syntax]
Steven Curtis Chapman Remember The Day - Single [The Fuel]
Commons Worship Saved By Grace - Single (independent)
DJ Noble The Spotlight (feat. tonyxtrotter, D.Faith, & JusRzd) - Single (independent)
K’nek, Mancito Telfort WALK - Single (independent)
Mat Kearney Pacific City - Single (independent)
Tasha Cobbs Leonard You Know My Name (Live) (feat. Le'Andria Johnson) - Single [TeeLee/Capitol CMG]
Chandler Letner At a Bar - Single [Dream]
Malcolm Rue, A Tribe Apart Gimme That - Single [Syntax]
Nobody's Uncle The Shameless Swoon - Single (independent)
Matthew Plante FAVOUR! - Single [Dream]
Jon Reddick Tell Somebody - Single [Gotee]
Magdalene Rose Do You Want to Be Free? - Single [RockFest]
V1 Worship Still Worthy - Single [Dream]

Next Wednesday, September 9
ALBUMS
Natalie Layne Still Running To You - EP [Centricity]

Next Friday, September 11
ALBUMS
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA Unscripted (Live) [Motown Gospel]
The Rock Music Not Alone (independent)

SINGLES
Johan Asgarde No Other - Single [Gotee]
Drea LP & OnBeatMusic Free Indeed - Single [Syntax]
K3hlab The Realm of Grief - Single [Syntax]
Myles Maestro SOUTHPAW - Single [Syntax]
Charly Perry Masterpieces - Single [Gotee]
Matthew Plante HAND ON ME! - Single [Dream]
QEW & Cyrus Sonata Chamber Exit - Single [Syntax]
Saints in Exile Stay For You - Single [Syntax]
Carly Ann Taylor Something Good Is Coming - Single [Curb]


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