Putting Off the Reunion a Little Longer
Once upon a time, Michael Tait was the glue that held the Christian supergroup DC Talk together. Sandwiched in between the hip-hop stylings of Toby Mac and the esoteric pop of Kevin Max, Tait's rock sensibilities provided a needed balance and propelled the group forward. Some of DC Talk's finest moments, including most of Jesus Freaks, have Tait's fingerprints all over them.
Fast forward to now, as Tait the solo artist releases his eponymously named band's second album, Lose This Life. It's fascinating how Tait is able to maintain the musical variety that defined DC Talk without his former bandmates. Witness this progression: the album starts with the radio-ready title track; then moves into the edgier "Numb"; then detours into a cover of Eddie Grant's "Electric Avenue" (the lyrics are actually discernable now); then moves into the soulful ballad "Fallen," which showcases Tait's full, deep vocals; then eases into the U2 sound of "God Can You Hear Me."
That's a lot of musical geography for Tait to cover alone, but he does so effortlessly thanks to a strong backing band and to his own presence and self-confidence.
DC Talk fans are still holding out hope for a reunion, but if the individual members keep making music this good, there may not be any reason to reunite.