Written By: Nate Newcomer (’28)
Are you a Christian? Do you like music? Do you possess a pulse? If you answered yes, you should check out the 1995 album Jesus Freak by DC Talk. Back in the ’90s, when rock ruled the world of contemporary Christian music, one of the biggest names in the game was DC Talk, consisting of TobyMac, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max. In 1995, they released Jesus Freak, which many (including myself) consider the greatest Christian rock–nay, the greatest Christian music album of all time. Just ask your parents–if they were Christian teenagers in the ‘90s, they probably knew about this album.
Jesus Freak starts strong with “So Help Me God,” a straight-up rock song asking God to help us put our faith in Him instead of the world. Next is “Colored People,” which observes the “beauty in the tones of our skin,” and calls for a turn from ignorance and toward God. Following this is the titular song “Jesus Freak,” a rock song that takes pride in rebelling against the world and following Jesus no matter what people say. The album slows down musically with “What if I Stumble?”, a ballad that will resonate with anyone questioning their faith. It picks up again with “Day by Day,” a plea to grow closer to God, before taking a break for “Mrs. Morgan,” a brief anecdote from a woman who lived next to DC Talk’s recording studio. After this interlude is “Between You and Me,” a melodic, acoustic guitar-driven song about repentance and forgiveness. The album returns to rock with “Like It, Love It, Need It,” a song declaring that we can only find peace of mind in God, not the things of this world. The goofier side of the trio shines through in “Jesus Freak – Reprise,” a cover of “Jesus Freak” that will catch you off-guard on your first listen. Next is my personal favorite song not just on the album, but possibly of all time, “In the Light.” This acoustic song is a passionate cry to be like Jesus but and be with Him someday too. The album winds down with “What Have We Become?”, a darker, moody song examining the hate, greed, and hypocrisy that has befallen the world. “Mind’s Eye,” the final song on the album, explores faith in an unseen God and imagining being with Him. The album closes with “Alas, My Love,” a poem written and spoken by Kevin Max with neat, almost orchestral background music accompanying it.
From the first song to the closing poem, Jesus Freak is flawless. Lyrically, this album is clever, honest, amusing, raw, and insightful. (The titular song in particular has some of the most clever lyrics I’ve heard on this side of Steve Taylor. Go listen to him, too.) Its themes of racism, sin, and shamelessly living out the gospel still apply as much today as they did nearly thirty years ago. Stylistically, this album was (and in my opinion still is) unprecedented. Songs such as “So Help Me God,” “Jesus Freak,” and “Like It, Love It, Need It,” expertly fuse elements of hip hop/rap with rock and roll– an unheard-of combination at the time, and one that I have still yet to hear anywhere else. In addition to its rock/rap hybrid songs, there are a few acoustic songs sprinkled in with “What If I Stumble?”, “Between You and Me,” and “In the Light.” There truly is something here for everyone. Musically, this album is sensational. Grungy electric guitar, soulful acoustic guitar, funky bass, peppy drums, and even a solid mandolin solo can all be found here. Vocally, Jesus Freak is similarly unmatched. TobyMac, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max all have fantastic voices (the latter two especially) and they let none of their talent go to waste. The three singers harmonize excellently and two-to-three-part harmonies are frequent on the album. Psalm 33:3 instructs us to “Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” And boy, did DC Talk live out that verse with this album. Jesus Freak offers 13 new, groundbreaking, and extremely skillfully crafted songs. So the next time you’ve got an hour of spare time, I highly encourage you to listen to DC Talk’s Jesus Freak. From its timeless lyrics to its excellent sound and everything in between (and I do mean everything), this album is simply amazing and unlike anything else in the world of Christian music. ★
