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GOD (1996)
Simply titled God, this album signaled the start of Rebecca's stardom in Christian music, and remains one of the pinnacles of her career. With searing guitars, lush orchestration, and straightforward lyrics, Rebecca fashions a tightly woven but edgy album. The opening, title track states the main purpose right away: It's all about God. Images of forgiveness, creation, awesome power, and love are mixed with cranking guitars and thunderous drums for a powerful track of worship.The next tracks show Rebecca's passion to see the Lord's message received by her generation. A mainstream hit a decade ago in Rebecca's native Australia, "You're the Voice" calls for a realization that we have to stand up and make things right, instead of looking at each other "down the barrel of a gun." Then, childish quarreling brings home the point of being unselfish, but doing things in the order of "You Then Me," which Becca borrowed from Celtic rock band Ceili Rain. Both are done in a high-energy rock style, thanks to Tedd T.'s stellar production.
Attempting to bring the listener closer to Christ, Rebecca leads a prayer for God's guidance and revelation, as well as his salvation in "Speak to Me," a track full of pounding drums, gentle strings, and soothing distortion. In "Abba," young St. James praises her Heavenly Father for his goodness and faithfulness, while also telling the listener how they can meet that very same Father in a whispered postlude.
Starting with some distorted guitars, a joyful laugh, and a count to make sure it gets off to the right beat, Rebecca smiles while she exclaims how crazy life is without Christ. "Me Without You" includes many crazy comparisons such as "a war without an enemy" or "a faithless priest." Rebecca continues God with a story of a rich man who realized that riches got him nowhere. For, besides God, "all else fades like the flowers." "Carry Me High" brings a choir in to stand up against persecution and instead stand up for Christ. It includes a cameo by Rebecca's little brother, Josh.
Looking into the calm after the storm, "A Cold Heart Turns" quietly tells of how we are too busy to hear Him and tells the story of Christ. Starting off with a quiet piano, Rebecca St. James ponders the amazing Love of God, and proclaims God's forgiving power in "Go and Sin No More." Undoubtedly, this song is one of the most powerful and touching of Rebecca's career, and definitely worth the price of the disc in itself.
Rebecca and her family have an amazingly powerful ministry to today's kids and teens. Her music is relevant to the current culture, but yet transcends the barriers of popular culture to bring the light and joy that Christ brings into every word and every note. One of the most memorable recordings in Christian music today, this album brought Rebecca to the cutting edge of the genre, and she has been able to hold her position as one of the most influential people to young persons today.
- Dan Ficker
January 2002
January 2002
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