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    • Kirk Franklin

    The Fight of My Life

    12/18/2007 | Gospocentric 

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    Songs from The Fight of My Life

  • (Declaration) This Is It!

    • Videos from The Fight of My Life

    All Music Guide Review

    In the mid-2000s, fans, critics and the Recording Academy couldn't heap enough praise on Kanye West's brilliant, visionary fusion of rap/hip-hop with classic pop textures. But long before West was dominating the pop scene, Kirk Franklin was bringing this same type of cross-genre genius to the gospel world. While he was something of a breakout superstar of his genre in the '90s, he also was creating amazing faith based projects well into the 2000s. Beginning with a boxing ring bell and running close to 80 minutes over 16 tracks, The Fight of My Life packs a multi-faceted emotional punch that might challenge fans of only feel-good, happy expressions of "God is Great, all the time" type songs. Exulting in shouts, interjections, and his trademark talk-rap style over an exuberant female choir, bright orchestrations, and edgy scratches, Franklin uses a brilliant reworking of the Kenny Loggins-Michael McDonald lite pop classic "This Is It" to fashion his upfront statement of faith "Declaration (This Is It)." Through this track, he attributes his ability to come through all his trials to the Almighty's grace, but later, he (or rather, his female entourage) reflects refreshingly on his doubts on the gorgeous, heartfelt ballad "Help Me Believe." Then comes "Hide Me," in which he feels lost in life; while not understanding God's ways, he seeks shelter to help his faith grow. More than simply, wonderfully honest, ultra-hip gospel, this is modern-day Psalming at its best. Blending grooves, horn textures, choir textures and in your face rap, the fight constantly balances trust ("He Will Supply," "Jesus") with the darker issues confronting the idea of maintaining faith in a difficult world. The angry, blistering rock guitar driving "I Am God" underscores the tension of wanting to break free while God keeps pursuing and asking for our trust; this track breaks the typical Franklin mold and sounds more like crackling, anthemic Christian rock. The message is always the artist's focus, but with so many tracks, the stylistic diversity (from buoyant, atmospheric '70s disco on "Still in Love" to the tribal African vibe of "I Like Me" and the torchy ballad "Chains") makes the disc a soul-stirring blast from start to finish. This is one fight that will leave the listener smiling through the bruises. All contemporary gospel should be this musically joyful and lyrically raw and honest. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide

    User Review

    • ~I'M R3PPIN' DIZ 4 CLA$$ OF 2008~

      posted on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:31:13

      LOVE IT !!!

      I LOVE THIS C.D. IT'S SO MUCH DIFFERNT THAN ALL OF HIS OTHER C.D'S. HE'S GROWN SO MUCH RIGT BEFORE OUR EYE'S. AND I LOVE THE THE SONG LIKE ME & STILL IN LOVE... THEY BOTH REMIND ME OF MY-SELF!! THANK'Z KIRK !! WE LOVE U,KEEP DOIN' U'R MUSIC THE WAY U LIKE,BECAUSE WE LOVE IT !!

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    • Holly K. Howard

      posted on Mon, 24 Dec 2007 12:11:57

      OMG...better and better

      OMG!...truly...each CD is better and better. I don't want to say this one is the best, but it by far has the most songs that I like. I personally admire all of the tracks except the "Hit single: Declaration," but at the same time, it kind of paves the way for the rest of the album. I LOVE "Help Me Believe" and I like "I Like Me." "A Whole Nation," "Hide Me," and "I am GOD" are very Noteworthy as well! OMG...normally when I hear a single, I have medium expectations, but I very much did not like this single, so I had very low expectations for the remainder of the album, but IT
      IS
      FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...
      KIRK REALLY MINISTERS IN HIS OWN WAY, WHICH IS MOST BENEFICIAL TO THE DEGENERATING SOCIETY as "A WHOLE NATION." LOVE IT! BUY IT!

      Post a Comment

    Track Listing

  • Track#
  • Title
  • time
  • 1
  • Intro
  • 0:25

  • 2
  • Declaration (This Is It!)
  • 4:24

  • 3
  • Little Boy
  • 5:07

  • 4
  • Help Me Believe
  • 6:51

  • 5
  • Hide Me
  • 5:14

  • 6
  • How It Used to Be
  • 4:53

  • 7
  • He Will Supply
  • 4:26

  • 8
  • Jesus!
  • 3:43

  • 9
  • I Am God
  • 5:05

  • 10
  • It Would Take All Day
  • 5:11

  • 11
  • A Whole Nation
  • 4:59

  • 12
  • Still in Love
  • 5:19

  • 13
  • I Like Me
  • 3:05

  • 14
  • Chains
  • 7:28

  • 15
  • Still (In Control)
  • 5:12

  • 16
  • The Last Jesus
  • 5:32

    • Similar Albums

    Credits

    • Shaun Martin
    • Percussion, Vocals, Programming, Piano, Clapping, Keyboards, Drums
    • Ryan Moys
    • String Engineer, Percussion Engineer
    • Tre Nagella
    • Guitar, Digital Editing, Drum Programming, Engineer
    • Lloyd Barry
    • Trumpet, Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements
    • Kirk Franklin
    • Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Producer, Executive Producer, Clapping, Programming


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