Enter Souljak. A group with the intention of hijacking souls for Jesus. If you're a hardcore Third Day fan, it'll be well worth your while to give this CD a spin. The disc is like a sequel to anything that Third Day has ever done. However, I should quickly note right away that if Third Day qualifies as one of the "slower" bands that you listen to, this CD likely isn't for you.
From track one to eleven, this recording can boast a well developed collection of different stylistic elements and enduring guitar work. Unique in itself but at the same time comparable to many other musicians, this is a CD of soft and well sung vocals, a basic but dependable beat, and a demonstration of good studio work. On the other hand, this band seems to lack energy. On several of the tracks the drums are overly repetitious and far too simple. They take away the vigor on those tracks. I can't say that the band's drummer is playing anything "wrong" and this type of drum sound does add to Souljak's sense of style. Otherwise this album is a good release. The guitar soloing is some of the best I've heard in a while and the effects on the mix down are used very tastefully. The first track is a praise song entitled "Everything I Am." The chorus of this song is:
I will sing for the rest of my days,
Never straying from your side.
I'll sacrifice the best that I have,
For my savior crucified.
I'm giving you
Everything I am.
The next three songs contain some of the album's best guitar work, good messages, and above average vocals. In my opinion the highlight of the CD is "Strange Boy." The recording is fast paced, gradually increasing in speed. The bass melody on the chorus has a really incredible sound to it. The drums in both this cut and the previous song, "My Deathbed" which could even be considered a heavy metal sound, have a lot more sound, an element that I wish I had seen more of in the rest of the album. "He Will See You Through" is also a commendable song. You can really feel the expression of the instruments. Really high energy for a slower song. If you like anything on this disk you'll like that song. I shouldn't forget to mention "Gram." A good old country song with an excellent message in the lyrics. The style of this piece may be older but the topic is current. Souljak has a lot of potential, much of which they are already using. I can see this group scoring a major hit in the upcoming years and gaining a lot more popularity because of it.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Dan SingletonSouljak uses an interlude in this record to explain their name. The general idea is that it's like hijacking someone's soul for Christ. It's also, according to the band, "kind of like 'Kojak,' only it's different." I have to agree, it is a pretty cool name. I thought it might have been a tribute to the mediocre Emilio Estevez and Mick Jagger film, Freejack. Too bad they couldn't get any help from…
