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Print 2006, Creative Soul Records Reviewed by Chris Anderson He clutched the CD like a million dollar lottery ticket, eyes wild with excitement. Without even offering a traditional “Good morning” or “Hello,” he proclaimed, “She’s one of ours!” By these words, Kent d Curry meant that she’s Apostolic Pentecostal in doctrine and dress. Shaking the promotional material firmly between two fists for emphasis, he added, “This is the one!” Of that, he meant that Kristyn Leigh (pronounced “Lee”) is the long-awaited artist for which post-modern classic Pentecostals have hoped. As Matisyahu is to Orthodox Jews, Leigh very well may be for Apostolic Pentecostals. With this introduction, could I resist the opportunity to review such an album? Likewise, oh gentle reader, can you afford not to read on?
The Heavy—The Holy Leigh has two speeds—Heavy and Holy. The Heavy fuels tracks one through seven with a Red Bull rush. The Holy then serenely brings the album’s second half into the heart with a reminiscence of Mickey Mangun. The album begins with an amplified version of the title track and anthem, “The Heavy and the Holy,” a song that powerfully states the purpose of Leigh’s ministry: “How can I reach the world by singing to the
saints, The Holy portion then closes with an orchestral rendition of the same song, declawed, but with the same message. God created Leigh as a ministerial dichotomy—both heavy and holy—to reach youth, both in and out of church, with the message of Christ. So How Heavy is Heavy? Every young girl will devour the Heavy, which contains the energy of a Pixie stick-powered pajama party. “I love to sing the old hymns of the church, but at the same time I love to rock out in my long pink skirt,” Leigh states. Will adults “get it?” Irrelevant. Crank up the boom box. Turn out the lights. To tune out the parents, the iPod will likely be jamming Leigh’s Heavy, which oft times resembles clean-cut pop punk. The difference—instead of rebellion and destruction, the lyrics speak of a Jesus who understands, especially when nobody else does. And How Holy is Holy? If Leigh simply wanted to appease the church, she could easily do so with her Holy persona. Any churchgoer will appreciate her soulful renditions of “The Old Rugged Cross” and “I Surrender All.” These two songs alone make the album worth buying. I’m sure many a church elder has pinched young Kristyn’s cheeks, telling her to stick to her sweet side. But Leigh insists that God made her Heavy to reach a lost and dying world in which “sweet” alone just won’t cut it. Leigh does, however, switch gears midway through the release, effectively moving into the Holy. Leigh begins this declaration with a pensive track, “What I Didn’t Say,” which tells the true story of a classmate who died in a car crash before Leigh had the opportunity to share Christ’s message. Once seriousness sets in, the young heart is gently guided down a worshipful canal, filled with the gentleness and beauty of Christ’s redeeming love. “Sit with Me Awhile,” gives an example of ultimate surrender, wherein Leigh sacrifices an afternoon, spending it with her grandmother who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Every Apostolic Pentecostal, young and old, will appreciate tracks 8 through 14 of this album. Warning! Warning! But the Holiness Police will still ask the question, “What are we supposed to do with that loud stuff?” Will it be the source of our youth’s rebellion, our organization’s compromise, and Leigh’s own backslide and downfall? If you’re not willing to jump on the bandwagon, Gamaliel’s tact in Acts 5:38-39 is advised—remain quiet and do not criticize, “For if this plan or this work is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.” Leigh makes some bold claims wherein God formed her and her ministry with specific purpose to reach the unreachable. If this is God’s plan, who wants to stand in the way? If not God’s plan, it is still a tremendous album, and she will fall away. In fact, the combination of songwriting, talent, and production makes “The Heavy and the Holy” one of the most promising offered by Apostolic music. Consider your purchase a donation to the mission field. Buy this album. Play it for your friends. Watch Kristyn Leigh become a bridge and a light to helping the world understand our magnificent message found in Jesus Christ. And if you do, it might even make Kent d Curry a prophet. ninetyandnine.com © 2006, Chris Anderson --------- Before his 1999 conversion, Chris Anderson served as Program Director and deejay for several Central Illinois radio stations, working in the Classic Rock, Modern Rock, Country, and Top 40 formats. During his time BC, he also managed and performed in several rock, folk, and death metal bands. Chris is now a recent graduate of Urshan Graduate School of Theology. To find out more about him, go watch the monkeys at the zoo. |
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