Well, we’ve been waiting for them to do it, and now the three solo albums from the members of dc Talk, arguably the most popular group in Christian music, are due out in just a few months, with this mini-album to give us a sneak preview in the meantime. Am I taking the easy way out by reviewing an EP? Sort of. But beyond the tracks on this disc, I wanted to offer some insight into what to expect from the upcoming albums by Michael Tait, Kevin Max, and Toby MacKeehan.

In recent interviews, the members of dc Talk have expressed their simultaneous apprehension and excitement about doing solo work. Their biggest fear, of course, was fans making the assumption that they were breaking up. Despite their best efforts to quell that assumption, rumors still run strong in certain circles of music fans. It probably started back in 1999 when Kevin Max actually considered leaving the group, but decided to stick it out and do his solo project (which had been on the back burner forever) during a much-needed break after the highly successful Supernatural album and tour. Michael Tait soon followed, already having his hands in the production of other solo artists such as Pete Stewart and Heather Miller. After a while, founding member Toby MacKeehan decided he was up for a solo album after all, since he longed to go back and explore the hip-hop roots that dc Talk as a whole had left behind. What you have here on Solo are the firstfruits of their labor.

40 (live) – dc Talk
The record starts off rather awkwardly with this little collector’s item for the fans – a cover of the classic U2 adaptation of Psalm 40. Fans have been waiting to get their hands on a legitimate version of this one for a while – due to copyright issues, it wasn’t on their Supernatural Experience video (which really suffered due to how much material dc Talk borrowed from other bands and couldn’t put on the video), and contrary to the advertising, it was not included on Intermission, their recent greatest hits album. I must say, the “official” version leaves much to be desired. It’s basically a two and a half minute sound bite from a praise medley they performed during their last tour, including parts of “Into Jesus”, “My Will”, and Rich Mullins’ “My Deliverer”, so the song fades in and fades out rather aburptly, as if they wanted you to believe there was nothing there. I hate to say it, but Kevin’s tendency for live vocal experimentation kinda kills this one. Sorry, guys.

Alibi – Tait
Here begins the good stuff. Ever since I saw the Tait Band open for Delirious? in Los Angeles last fall, I’ve been highly anticipating the album. Tait’s main goal seems to be straight ahead rock-and-roll, and this tune has a good balance of guitar crunch and melody. The song seems to be about a relationship struggling towards reconciliation, making it musically and lyrically very similar to Tait’s duet with Pete Stewart, “Uphill Battle”, from Stewart’s solo album (which is no big surprise, since Stewart now plays guitar for Tait). It’s nothing terribly new, but it suits Tait well.

All You Got – Tait
A slower, bluesier tune that starts off promising, but gets a bit mired in cliches. Not a bad song by any means, but also not as exciting as the sample of tait’s more upbeat material. The basic premise is, give all you’ve got when you’re in trouble, and God will come through for you. Or maybe there’s something deeper I’m missing. But Tait seems to have a tougher time with lyrics when his buddies aren’t around.

Return of the Singer – Kmax
Anyone who’s been a fan of dc Talk over the years knows that Kevin often gets pegged as the weird one in the group, mostly due to his odd comments in interviews and his general refusal to sing the songs live the way he does on the CD. But I have to say, I expected Kevin to drop off into esoteric land and leave most fans behind – instead, he’s managed to reign in the weirdness in favor of some accessibility. It starts off rather abruptly with a slightly Eastern melody, soon joined by an irresistible rhythm track. This little number should rock live. I’m not entirely sure what it’s about – at times, it seems to be a love song to his wife, and at times, it seems to be directed to the fans, an explanation of why he chose to go the solo route. In any case, it’s a fun song.

Be – Kmax
Like Tait, Kevin seems to have his weaknesses exposed when he slows things down. This song tries to be a heartfelt ballad about uniqueness (which is likely to be the central theme of his album), but also comes off as being cliche at times. It’s also quite similar to the new song “Chance” from Intermission, which was mostly Kevin-dominated. Not bad, but not thrilling either.

Somebody’s Watching – Toby Mac
Well, if you like dc Talk and you liked them back in their rap days, this should put a smile on your face. It’s a little farther removed from pop than the group’s Free at Last album, but it’s definitely not from the heart of the ghetto or anything, either. It’s a comfortable, bouncy hip-hop tune, backed up by the requisite female vocals (in this case, Joanna Valencia, the newest artist signed to Toby’s record label). The focus of this one seems to be Toby’s need to trust in God and not be overwhelmed by the rumors and the pressure of who the media wants him to be as an artist. Perhaps it’s another attempt to reassure the fans that dc Talk ain’t going anywhere. The only real drawback to this one is perhaps one of the biggest cliches ever – naming yourself in your own song. Having Joanna singing “Toby Mac” in the background comes off as a bit egotistic, and I kinda thought Toby was above that.

Extreme Days – Toby Mac
You’ve probably already heard this on the soundtrack to the movie of the same name – this song hit it big on the Christian rock charts due to its blistering, Kid Rock-inspired blend of hard rock and aggressive rap. Starting and ending with a few vocal clips from Toby’s son Truett, this is a great song for getting pumped up about life in general, showcasing some very clever lyrics from Toby. It’s a nice contrast to the more laid-back feel of “Somebody’s Watching”. I can detect some vocal help from Michael during the chorus, and a bit of MC Hammer influence (!) during the bridge/breakdown. I even think I hear a sound clip from Stone Cold Steve Austin in there somewhere, but I could be wrong. In any case, this song fits extreme sports to a T. The only drawback is that we're all going to be tired of it by the time Toby's album finally releases.

What to expect from the upcoming albums

Tait – Empty (July 2001)
Judging from the material seen here, and the fine pop/rock tune “Loss for Words” (also found on the Extreme Days soundtrack but not recycled here), and their excellent live show last fall, this album is going to rock, and it’s going to have some monster pop hooks. It won’t be as musically diverse as dc Talk’s stuff, and it’ll probably be more straight-ahead lyrically, but it’ll be genuine, and Michael will have fun taking his band on the road with this stuff. (Random tidbit: Tait was recently on Jay Leno’s “Jaywalking” sketch, and couldn’t identify Bill Gates. But I still think he’s a smart guy.)

Kevin Max – Stereotype Be (August 2001)
This album will probably feature a wider range of musical influences, venturing out of pop/rock territory at times into more soulful territory. It will be a showcase for Kevin’s vocals, which are actually quite tasty when he keeps things under control. Expect a few tunes to be off the wall, and a few tunes to make you think. He might even throw in a poem or two.

Toby Mac – Momentum (November 2001)
Obviously, this album is going to be a big helping of hip-hop. Nothing wrong with that – it’s what Toby’s always loved. Toby’s admitted that he’s just a white boy and he’d get schooled by most of the rappers out there, but he’s got a bag of pop tricks to carry over from the pop/rock arena now that should keep things interesting for non-rap fans, much like John Reuben (who is also signed to Toby’s label, Gotee Records). It wouldn’t surprise me to hear him trade rhymes with John Reuben, Knowdaverbs, Out of Eden, etc., because all rappers have to get their homies in on the fun, but he might go beyond that to some of the other talented acts on his label (Jennifer Knapp, SonicFlood, etc.), or even to Mike and Kevin. You never know, but you can be sure it’ll be entertaining.

dc Talk is planning to tour together, from what I’ve heard, after at least two of the three albums are out on the market. They’ll do solo sets, appropriately enough, and then come back together for a dc Talk greatest hits set. I’m guessing impatient fans and completists will have to have this album, and the rest of us will simply get the tracks from Napster. Personally, I know I’m going to own at least two of the three albums in the long run, and the purchase price (7 or 8 bucks) isn’t worth it just to get "40". That’s the reason behind my enigmatic rating of four stars and yet not recommended. I recommend listening to these songs, but I don’t recommend using up your money on an overblown single. I love dc Talk and support their music and ministry, but I don’t think their label (ForeFront) has really had the fans in mind with some of the management and marketing decisions they’ve been making lately. So save your cash, buy the solo albums if you like what you hear so far, and go out to their show and have a blast.

TRACK REVIEW SUMMARY
Excellent: Alibi, Return of the Singer, Extreme Days
Good: All You Got
Decent: Be, Somebody's Watchin'
Weak: 40
Skippable: NONE

Websites:
http://www.dctalk.com
http://www.taitband.com
http://www.kevinmax.com
http://www.tobymac.com

Great music to play while: Patiently waiting for the full albums to release!


Recommended: No

Great Music to Play While: Getting ready to go out