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#1: Losing My Religion-Kirk Franklin

Posted on January 6, 2016 by DJ Manny

#1: Losing My Religion-Kirk Franklin
***for those who love gospel, soul, rap, R&B, hip-hop, inspirational music***
///Quick disclaimer: this review will be the longest of the five, so read at your own risk. \\\

I discovered the musical talent of Kirk Franklin in 2015, and I did so just in time for his astounding 11th LP, “Losing my Religion”. I think this album should have been nominated for best gospel album of 2016 in addition to its already nominated single “Wanna Be Happy?”; it’s this good.

Lyrically, the album follows the title’s theme: a boycott of rule-centered religion to truly embrace God. The first track of the LP is crucial in understanding the rest of the album lyrically, so the following is an exegesis of the title track. Right away, Franklin establishes he has not lost faith in God, but in man-made religion, stating “I’m losing my religion/Thank God/I prayed about my decision/how odd,”. Franklin then explains why religion is failing its members.

“How do I begin to try to paint this sin, of rules? /That divides God’s people in two./ In the beginning, religion created a mask…I don’t tell/you don’t ask/so we created a lie/And for generations, church was where we went to go hide/or we no longer tried/because rules read, our relationship was empty inside/leaves you bitter, dry/swift to cut you like a razor/swift to call you a traitor… Now the man in the mirror never gets race right/He’ll never be Christ-like/Never receive good pay/So your faith never rises above minimum wage… you don’t know what to say/to your brother that you love when tells you he’s gay/do you push him away?/judge him down till he leaves?… Religion is a prison, but the truth sets us free/… The preacher isn’t God/religion’s first mistake/ serving stewards, shepherds, not kings/[he]has to die to his flesh everyday like me/one VIP/all the other seats in church are free/we’re just groupies/God’s the celebrity..”

In short, Franklin dislikes the side effects of focusing too much on following religion’s rules. God established certain rules to help humans see what is right from wrong and to reveal God’s character; they were never meant to replace God as the main character. However, as a result, people fake being holy for acceptance in the rule-centered church. Ironically, this leaves people still hurting from past experiences when they turned to religion for healing. Additionally, people feel hollow because following rules does not necessarily bring hope and purpose into life. Paramount to the other travesties, rule following does not teach people how to love rule-breakers, those whom may not even know those rules exist! But, rule following looks at people in black and white; you are holy if you obey, or you are scum because you disobeyed the rule(s). This lifestyle cannot see people as worthy, as people made in God’s image, and as people full of life. Rule-centered religion is therefore a “prison”, condemning people while creating fake people who want to avoid damnation. With all this in mind, Franklin rejects man-made religion, centered on following rules, and exhorts the listener to follow a different lifestyle. The following lyrics from the title track summarize Franklin’s alternative approach to life.

“Give him a gospel he hears or a gospel he sees?/Love wrapped in truth is the Gospel he needs!/There’s room at the cross for everyone/even me/Well my sins are now clean/the loss now redeemed/ religion is a prison but truth sets us free/helps us believe/that the world we’re in now is not the world that will be… before the death on the tree/ before the fall of man was a picture of me/ nailed to His heart/right before the last three/words He would speak/”it is finished”/could you believe?/IM losing my religion/Thank God/helping you lose yours is my job.”

In layman’s terms, life should be centered on following God, Jesus Christ, who unconditionally loves every human being. Because God’s laws are meant to reveal who He is, it also shows people they fall short of meeting His standard. Everyone is born into ungodliness because of the evil of our ancestors, and everyone commits ungodliness at some point or another. All of humanity has fallen short (Romans 3:23). If it was not for Jesus Christ, this would leave us humans in a place of despair because those who break the law must be punished with death for two reasons. The first is because God is a fair and just Judge of good & evil, and He cannot let ungodliness go without punishment. The second is because, in ancient history, there cannot be forgiveness without the shedding of blood for most law breaking acts-this includes ungodliness. That is why Jesus Christ, God of everything, donned human flesh while still being God and shed his blood almost 2000 years ago to be the eternal appeasement for the punishment humans deserved. This is what Kirk means with the phrase “before the death on the tree”. Christ represented every single human being who has ever lived and for every human being who will ever live. Jesus willingly sacrificed His human flesh for oneself on the cross for all of these people. Additionally, Jesus came back from the dead because His essence-God of the Universe-could never die, and this means He defeated the death every human being deserved. This is what Kirk means with the phrase “It is finished”. This is grace, a get-out-of-death free card; it allows those who believe that Jesus did all this to not die but live forever with Him in Heaven (John 3:16). This card is given to everyone who not only believes/declares Jesus is God but also everyone who takes and cherishes the card forever. This is what Kirk Franklin means when he says “Love wrapped in truth is the Gospel he needs”; this is the Gospel-the good news- God gives humanity.

With all that in mind, Kirk Franklin uses the rest of his album as a demonstration of what this lifestyle might include. On “Miracles”, Franklin explains God can do miracles for those who follow Him, but Franklin also reminds the listener the greatest miracle is the Gospel. “1,2,3 Victory” & “Road Trip”- the soulful, hip-hop, one-two punch- explains following God does not mean the end of suffering and pain, but the end of feeling like one will never win. Also, it promises the beginning of a life safe in the beneficial plans of God. “Pray for Me” is a plea for listeners to pray for Franklin, who reveals his flaws. Honesty is refreshing, and this song is just that. The single “Wanna Be Happy?” is a surprising message: a follower of God SHOULD be happy, a feeling not usually found with those whose main purpose is to follow rules. “It’s Time” feels like it wants to happy; it praises God for the work He does in people’s lives (esp. Franklin’s own life). “True Story” and “Over” tell a story of followers of God who feel brokenhearted but who will find restoration in God’s promises. The song “When” is about the feelings of God’s creation. Creation cannot wait for God to come back to earth and deal with all the evil in the world. “My World Needs You” and “Intercession” go hand in hand; the former is a cry to God while the latter praises Jesus for answering. “No Sleep Tonight” is an anthem, motivating followers of God to tell others about the freedom in following God instead of rule-centered, lifeless religions. I believe Kirk Franklin does an exceptional job of summarizing the Gospel and explaining the intricacy of a believer’s life in thirteen, beautifully written tracks. This is one of the biggest reasons why this album is my favorite from 2015. However, even if you are not a believer, you could still enjoy this album because the lyrics of these songs are incredibly inspirational (peep “Over”, “Pray for Me”, “Wanna Be Happy”, and “No Sleep Tonight”).

Sonically, “Losing my Religion” could be Kirk Franklin’s best. Franklin cut some of the best R&B songs of his career, including but not limited to “Wanna Be Happy”, “Road Trip”, & “No Sleep Tonight”. Franklin says he is not a rapper, but the title track and the banger “Over” lead me to think he could crossover into the rap game with ease. The Gospel genre is where Kirk Franklin shines, and this album is no exception; “Pray for Me”, “My World Needs You”, and “Intercession” give me goosebumps. As DJ Wade-O said in his review of the album, Kirk Franklin’s signature sound is the “full band, large production, female singers starting the song off in the verse…” It is this “Kirk Sound”, as DJ Wade-O calls it, which makes the Gospel tracks excel and the soulful tracks an injection of soul into your…heart! Speaking of soulful, “It’s Time”, “Miracles”, and “1,2,3 Victory” bring the inspiration as good or even better than the songs found on past Kirk Franklin albums. Just when you think Franklin’s musical mastermind cannot get any better, he produces what DJ Wade-O describes as a soul meets jazz track-“When”. I marvel at the entire album’s musical production.

What makes this album even better is its versatility: one can either pick out a couple singles for vibing or one can listen to each track perfectly flow into the next from start to finish. What surprised me the most is discovering Kirk Franklin composed each and every track on the album. Most artists collaborate with other music geniuses to compose a masterpiece, but Kirk Franklin is one of the few who manages to compose an entire album with little to no help. If you are into rap, hiphop, R&B, soul, inspirational, or Gospel music, you will love this LP.

The only downside to “Losing my Religion” is the song “When”. I am not a jazz fan, but I understand its importance to Kirk’s story lyrically, so this is a minor dislike holistically. Another minute point is the end of the song “Intercession”, which briefly includes Kirk’s son freestyling on the drums. This made me smile the first time I heard it, as it references a past interlude on Kirk’s album “Hero”, but it becomes corny after a while. Nevertheless, all I have to do is skip the last thirty seconds of the second; flaw fixed! I have listened to this album multiple times (even twice today), but I still can’t find anything else to criticize. Therefore, “Losing my Religion” is nearly flawless, and it definitely deserves the number one spot on my top five countdown.

Overall, Kirk Franklin’s Losing my Religion is a breathtaking album, one to be enjoyed by both followers of Jesus and non-believers alike.

Check out DJ Wade-O’s review of Franklin’s project here: http://wadeoradio.com/album-review-kirk-franklin-losing-my…/

& Cop Franklin’s 11th full length LP here!https://itunes.apple.com/…/…/losing-my-religion/id1047205866

#2: Blurryface-twentyonepilots

Posted on January 6, 2016 by DJ Manny

#3: Of Beauty and Rage-RED & Dark Before Dawn-Breaking Benjamin

Posted on January 6, 2016 by DJ Manny

#3: Of Beauty and Rage-Red & Dark Before Dawn-Breaking Benjamin
***For those who love Hard Rock***
A tie? Yeah. These two albums are that good. Hard rock is dying (some may argue it IS dead), but RED and Breaking Benjamin’s 5th full length projects breathe life into the genre. In my opinion, rock could revive itself in years to come, and I believe we will be able to pinpoint its resurgence to when these records were released.

Interestingly, both LPs serve as a rebirthing of both bands. Before Of Beauty and Rage, there was Release the Panic, a great album overall but loyal fans everywhere felt there was something missing. As a result, the record felt like a disappointment. Lead singer Mark Barnes discussed this mystery with HopeBEAT.net, and he revealed RED had abandoned their signature orchestral rock sound (dubbed “strings”) that was found on the first three records. With Of Beauty and Rage, Barnes stated RED rediscovered both their passion for writing music and the use of their “strings”, harkening back to their 2010 Grammy nominee LP Innocence and Instinct. For Breaking Benjamin, Dark before Dawn is the first record released since the disbandment of the band back in 2010. The revival of Breaking Benjamin happened swiftly, as lead singer Benjamin Burley banded together with a couple of best friends to create new material. According to multiple interviews, Burley had “95% of the album already written before recording” it with the other band members, and this is evident because Dark Before Dawn sounds exactly like the Breaking Benjamin albums of the past. Even with their new lineup, Breaking Benjamin sounds the same, a true miracle for lifelong fans
everywhere.

Not only are both albums a symbolic revival of their respective bands, but these LPs’ lyrical & thematic content are also alike. Neither record is a concept album. However, the first half of both LPs is about one’s journey into despair/hardship/struggles, while the second half accentuates the end of that journey into hope/reconciliation/victory. As Mark Barnes puts it, the elements Beauty and Rage are polar opposites, but “a lot of us have to go through these valleys, and these sufferings, sometimes, in order to come out at the other end, looking back and saying ‘oh you know what yeah it’s a good thing I went through those things because I learned so much from that,’” so that one can reach out to others going through those things and help them through it. In other words, rage -or the evil a person endures- can give way to beauty -contentment, joy, peace- for oneself and for those going through their times of rage. On the other side, Ben Burley did not say much regarding the message in Dark before Dawn. Consequently, the theme found on Dark before Dawn described in this article is my own interpretation. The record begins with “Dawn”, an eerie instrumental playing over the voice of what seems to be a mad scientist whom could represent the standards of society. This leads directly into “Failure”: the hard-hitting, catchy-chorus single, doubling as the anthem for deconstructing what the world deems as “failing”. The band believes “It’s okay to fail”, as stated on their social media pages. Up until “Hollow”, the LP’s tracks highlight the persona’s struggle with despair/evil, with the evil winning thus far. After “Hollow”-the turning point-, the album’s persona fights and wins the battle with his evil within, as sung on the final track “Defeated”. In my opinion, both albums beautifully paint an epic fight between good and evil.

Sonically, both albums are brilliant, setting high standards for hard rock music. What makes RED’s Of Beauty and Rage great is its use of music dynamics; the album knows how to magnify the heaviest parts and how to sweeten the softest parts of their songs. Just listen to “The Ever” or “Shadow and Soul” if you are unsure of what I mean; these songs are fortissimo & pianissimo at their finest. In my opinion, the best songs on the record are “Yours Again”-a personal favorite of RED’s lead singer-, “Gravity Lies”-a great hype song-, and “Shadow & Soul”-the poster boy of the phrase “a musical journey”. On the other side, what makes Breaking Benjamin’s Dark before Dawn great is that almost every song will get stuck in your head. “The Great Divide” perfectly mashes the sound of a power ballad and that of a hard rock song to create an album gem; “Never Again” captures the iconic Breaking Benjamin guitar riffs and drum rolls found on their previous smash single “Diary of Jane”; and “Ashes of Eden” soothes your soul as Burley ardently seeks relief with every note he sings.

Both albums are groundbreaking for the rock genre, but both albums have their flaws. Breaking Benjamin’s Dark Before Dawn has many exceptional songs, but two of the twelve fall flat [in my opinion]. Sonically, “Bury Me Alive” rocks hard, but I just can’t find the passion & catchiness in the chaos that I find in every other song on the record. “Breaking the Silence” is growing on me, but in my opinion, the track is a subpar Linkin Park esque track that Linkin Park could play much better. On the other end, because RED’s Of Beauty and Rage is a musical journey which must be listened to from start to finish, it does not have many ready-for-radio singles. Additionally, the brilliance of the album lies in playing it from start to end which is almost impossible to do in today’s microwave society. Of Beauty and Rage also suffers from what I call the “Filler Effect”: create many incredible tracks that it feels “ok” to throw in a couple of “decent” songs to complete the album. “Take Me Over” and “Fight to Forget” are the result of my perceived “Filler Effect”; they are subpar-in my opinion-to the standouts on this album.

Wholistically, RED’s Of Beauty and Rage and Breaking Benjamin’s Dark Before Dawn are outstanding hard rock LPs which will become classics in due time, but their respective flaws bar them from being the best of what 2015 had to offer.

Cop RED’s 5th full length project here: https://itunes.apple.com/…/a…/of-beauty-and-rage/id961259509

& purchase Breaking Benjamin’s 5th record here: https://itunes.apple.com/…/alb…/dark-before-dawn/id975950518

#4: How Can It Be-Lauren Daigle

Posted on January 6, 2016 by DJ Manny

#4: How Can It Be-Lauren Daigle
***For those who love R&B, Adult Contemporary, Pop, and Worship***
Released during the spring of ’15, Lauren Daigle’s debut album dominated Christian airwaves and even caught the attention of mainstream listeners.

What impresses me the most about this LP is its mellifluent sound. One of my personal favorites “Trust in You” is-as the popular website BreatheCast puts it-full of “R&B swag,”. Daigle’s powerful vocals on “Come Alive (Dry Bones)” will soothe your mind as its catchy chorus will be stuck in your head. “Here’s My Heart” is a R&B rendition of the Passion Worship Band’s song, and because it effectively keeps its original reverence while donning a mainstream sound, it is an album highlight. Without a doubt, this album is sonically pleasing because of Daigle’s vocals. Daigle shines on the R&B cuts, the adult contemporary selections (“My Revival”, “Salt & Light”, & “How Can It Be”, to name a few), and the pop tracks (“First”, “O’ Lord”, & “Loyal”, to name a few); her voice is beautifully and memorably versatile.

Lyrically, Lauren Daigle’s ‘How Can It Be’ can appeal to devout worshippers and mainstream listeners alike. It is a challenge to translate Biblical wisdom/theology into modern dialect-a challenge most worship songs fail to overcome-, but Daigle’s lyrics demonstrate she has mastered the art of translation. The second verse and chorus of “I am Yours” speaks to her mastery: “Now I am sure of this I’m Yours/No power is strong enough/To separate me from Your Love, I’m Yours/So let the waters rise, I will stand as the oceans roar/Let the earth shake beneath me, Let the mountains fall/You are God over the storm/and I am Yours”. All of this is a paraphrase of Romans 8:38-39 and Psalm 46:1-3, but without prior Biblical knowledge, I believe one would not be able to recognize this song’s Scripture! Not only do Daigle’s lyrics appeal to Christians without being overtly religious, but they also can resonate with casual mainstream listeners. Daigle describes her view of God’s love in “Loyal”, but a mainstream listener could easily suppose the lyrics are about a significant other. As a result, I believe anyone can find song lyrics to they can love on Daigle’s
debut album “How It Can Be”.

Every rose has a thorn, and this LP is no exception. Although the album excels sonically, the songs can suffer from sounding the same at times. I mix up the choruses of “Power to Redeem” and “O’ Lord” frequently, and “Here’s my Heart” has an undeniably similar kick/clap beat to that of “Trust in You”. Moreover, not all twelve songs wow’d me. “First”, “How Can It Be”, “Here’s My Heart”, “Loyal”, & “Trust in You” are incredible, but the rest of the LP pales in comparison. With this in mind, “How Can It Be” drops to #4 on my top 5 of 2015 list.

All in all, Daigle’s debut album is a magnificent mix of soulful, inspirational jams that both Christians and non-believers can enjoy, but its similar sounding songs and lack of “wow” tracks keep it from being a perfect album.
Cop the Full Album via iTunes: https://itun.es/us/hS_55

#5: Surf-Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment

Posted on January 6, 2016 by DJ Manny

Honorable Mentions for The Best Albums of 2015

Posted on January 6, 2016 by DJ Manny

As we move into this new year, let’s look back on what I think were the best albums of 2015.

Purpose-Justin Bieber, To Pimp a Butterfly-Kendrick Lamar, GO:OD AM-Mac Miller, Threat To Survival-Shinedown, Know It All-Alessia Cara, Unbreakable Smile-Tori Kelly, Tomorrow We Live-KB, Fly Exam-JGivens, Compton-Dr. Dre, Smoke and Mirrors-Imagine Dragons.

116xUnashamed Alternative’s Lift Session Vol.1

Posted on January 5, 2016 by DJ Manny

Listen to Every Past Show on Spotify

Posted on December 18, 2015 by DJ Manny

Follow DJManny_116 on spotify to relive all of the past shows’ music! If you want to hear a past show LIVE, email me at DJManny_116@gmail.com, and I’ll try and dig up the audio file for you.

Grace&Peace~

DJ Manny

[Disclaimer]: Some songs that played on the show cannot be accessed on spotify, so I replaced those songs with other songs.

116xUnashamed’s Christmas Show VOL. 2! 12/15/15

Posted on December 15, 2015 by DJ Manny

**********NO SHOW NEXT WEEK. 116xUnashamed RESTARTS 12/29/15***********

-The Christmas Shoes=Newsong

-Don’t Save it All for Christmas Day: Clay Aiken V Celine Dion. WINNER=Clay Aiken

-All I Want for Christmas is You: Michael Buble V Mariah Carey. WINNER=Mariah

-Santa Claus is Coming to Town: Justin Bieber V Bruce Springsteen. WINNER=Bruce

-Sleigh Ride: Ella Fitzgerald V Relient K. WINNER=Relient K

-Carol of the Bells: Trans-Siberian Orchestra V August Burns Red. WINNER=TSO

-Christmas This Year=TobyMac (feat. Leigh Nash)

Days Until Next Show (From 12/15): 14.

Grace&Peace~

DJ Manny

Setlist from 9/22/15

Posted on December 13, 2015 by DJ Manny

-Lights On (Bryson Price Remix)=Trip Lee

-I Know Places=Taylor Swift

-Zombie (McSwagger Remix)=Family Force 5 [Dedicated to Larry Latona]

-Inspiration (Prod by Wit)=Lecrae feat. DJ Don Cannon

-Waterfall=Chris Tomlin [Dedicated to Mrs. Burton]

-Washed Over Me (Acoustic Version)=All Things New [Dedicated to Mrs. Trask]

-Your Love is Extravagant=Casting Crowns [Dedicated to Mr. Clagg]

-The Lining is Silver=Relient K

-Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me=Hunter Hayes

-Battle Scars=Lupe Fiasco

-Suicide Kids=Social Club

-In Shallow Seas We Sail=Emery

-Hollow=Breaking Benjamin

-Wavin’  Flag=K’naan [For the fans]

Grace&Peace~

DJ Manny