Album: On The Move
Artist: Shachah
Label: Cross Movement Records (2008)
“We shall overcome evil with good/we can’t let the world get the best of us
Hold ya head soldier march with me/into glory while I rock the beat.”
"So Michael Franti, Brother Ali and The Roots are hanging out at a gospel revival…" Sounds weird, but that’s the only way I can describe this album by a new group named Shachah. (And trust: that’s a beautiful thing!)
Now Shachah means “to prostrate or bow in homage to royalty or God.” And for 15 tracks, this 4-man crew out of Costa Mesa, CA combine impassioned focused lyricism with authentic hiphop organix to deliver some of the most fun, warm, uplifting Christ-centered praise music that I’ve heard in years.
On the opening title track, emcee Brenden McPeek (no hood fame in that name lol!) lays into drummer Stephen Anderson’s techno-flavored kicks a la Black Thought’s Don’t Say Nuthin.
Another fave of mine, Stand Up is something you'd knock while working out because it gets you amped with high energy guitars and strong, positive call and response flows.
On Diligence, Mcpeek shows some amazing versatility delivering his Bone/Thugs flow as he and the boys encourage listeners to consider building a relationship with Christ. (And for the record: when you consider all the crap that emcees, spit these days, hearing emcee says "let’s pray together” that's not an insult. Especially given the endless stream of wack crap so many spew 16 at a time.) In fact, watch this:
Dilligene—Shachah
On “Won’t Stop” Mcpeek brings more eloquent heat to explain how the band got robbed of all their equipment and money a couple years earlier but found the strength to carry on: “You can steal our trailer but you can’t steal our vision/Shachah on a mission from The Risen with persistence/Struck down not destroyed/persecuted not abandoned…my God is a provida and he’s faithful—Jehovah Jirah.”
Similar to CMR's chief genre-blender, J.R. Shachah shows a wonderful ability to mix styles in the name of developing their own gumbo sound. They're strong musicians, with strong lyrics and they know their way around a hook with seeming greedy. You'll end up singing along to half this album at least And with no shame, I might add.
ON THE MOVE is Shachah’s first release since signing to the venerable Cross Movement Records in early 2008. And if this one's any indication, it'll be one of many high-end offerings yet to come.
(Stay strong fellas, you've got some great music and ministry going here!)
Here's a couple tracks to check out. As always, cop the album and support good music.
