Rebecca St. James

Item: Transform
Author: Josh Hurst

Transform

(2000)

Reviewed by Josh Hurst

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Label ForeFront RecordsThe Rebel Base2001

ccm dance pop

It's always hard writing album reviews on artists who are extremely popular. If I say that I love the CD, people may think I'm just following the crowd, but if I say I hate the album, people will hate my review! Unfortunately, I am faced with this problem as I review the immensely popular new album from Rebecca St. James, Transform.

My overall opinion of Transform is that the album is good, and a step up from all of St. James' previous projects, but much of the hype about the record is overkill. While the album features some great pop hooks, a strong vocal performance, and a few inspired lyrics, Transform's primary producer Matt Bronleewe makes Transform sound too much like mainstream bubblegum pop at times, and there is also a slight feeling of sameness. Much like Eli's Now the News album, Transform is a mixed bag.

The title of the album is taken from a passage in I Corinthians, and though the record tries to stay close to the theme of Christ transforming our lives, it does not always succeed. As with Audio Adrenaline's Underdog, Transform strays from its theme a bit too much, making it less unified and cohesive than other concept albums, such as U2's War or Switchfoot's Learning to Breathe.

Some highlights of the album include a brief instrumental interlude, reminiscent of the opening track on Steven Curtis Chapman's The Great Adventure, and an upbeat techno/pop tune called "For The Love of God". The following song, "Reborn", has a radio-friendly sound and lyrics that have a good message, but lack any life or uniqueness. "Don't Worry" is much the same, as the lyrics have a good message but are poorly written, and the spoken word verses sound a bit cheesy.

One of the best songs on the album, "Merciful", which features some of St. James' best lyrics to date, precedes two of St. James' worst songs to date, "One" and "Universe", both of which sound too much like Britney Spears and too little like something original or profound. St. James regains her footing, however, on what is perhaps the album's most outstanding track, "Wait for Me". The lyrics are derived from love letters St. James wrote to her future husband, and the message of the song resembles LaRue's hit single "Someday" in more ways than one. "Wait for Me" showcases not only St. James' tremendous heart for the Lord but also her incredible vocals.

Fairly good, but by no means great, Transform may not appeal to everyone musically, but you can't help but admire St. James' steadfast dedication to God. Still, some of the songs on Transform are disappointing. For fans of ready-for-radio pop, however, Transform should provide a satisfying listening experience.

Josh's Score: 2.5/5

Mark's Score: 2.5/5