#Review of Alex Faith & Dre Murray's "Southern Lights: Overexposed" #JustBeingHere #Rap @sohhpr @alexfaithATL @dremurray22 @CollisionRecs

Alex Faith & Dre Murray 
"Southern Lights: Overexposed"

Overall Thoughts

Crys for motivation to not be about worldly things. Crys for race to not be a factor. Beats are calm and easy to enjoy. the lyrics are easy to understand. The messages are on the nose. Desire and motivation. Is it the end reward? IS it the God of the universe? .. what moves you forward? 

My favorite of the songs is the final one. I found it to be the one that captured life in Christ more than any other one here. We can have hope. It may not mean we are perfect or the best we can be now.. but we don't have to tear ourselves apart if we are not there either. 

Recording Thoughts - 6/10

Individual Song Thoughts

Overexposed (4/5) - Wow.. the calming sound that this starts at. Even some really neat harmony.. then leading into really quick paced rap lyrics. The message here seems to be about having SOOO Much of the bad in one's live just breaking the idea that you can even hear or listen to others that speak of Jesus. .. I guess.. it can be easy to begin to see ... what good is a dead man on a cross gonna do when life is hard. what good are dusty old stories when harsh life is in your face beating you down everyday. 

All Around the World (3/5) - A cry to the world of the truth? A yell out to show that truth may not be the easiest thing to believe... to share.. and even when belief may be there.. FIXING things... is not easy. Can things really change?.. We have to believe that we can do something... or we give up. Giving up.. is losing. The only real way to lose. 

Wake Up Music (3/5) - a Heavy heart for the tragic things committed in the name of race. We need to learn to look past colors. Human, is human. God loves regardless of this... why is it that we collectively cannot. 

I-285 (interlude) - Starts with a rough recording explaining the drive or message desired through the album and flows to more explaining via more of a rap feel... though the back ground track has a bit of an 80's feel... which just made me think of old TV tracks. 

The message of "we were made" is powerful.. and true. Many of us seem to choose to throw those things away and make ourselves about other things.. seriously unimportant things. Man.. that hits hard. 

Money (3/5) - How hard are we running for the way a "system" wants us to run? Is your life about money? for fame? for recognition? .. is that the focus you have.... if so.. it is time to redirect.. to refocus.

City of Nightmares II (3/5) - I really liked the elements of harmony in this song. More R&b moments... Kind of a surreal storytelling song. Like.. vision of the world while looking through a filter. Which do you see... the dream?.. or the nightmare?

I-610 (interlude) - A telling of the pull to do music. To live in an atmosphere the bred this out of others. Also.. as the song kind of builds you begin to see the idea that.. wait.. I need that.. that.. and it must be better and I can have better.. until your sight comes in again to finally see that it was all a smokescreen. 

Decatur Street Blues (3/5) - Actually this leads in from the interlude before it. That desire to succeed... but why? What is the reason? To crawl up from the depths.. to feel insignificant. Growing through that... how easy can it be to become disillusioned. To see beyond what was clearly lies.. but then to begin to grow in faith and have to fight that same thing ... an interesting back and forth.. really 

Forever (2/5) - Interesting song about change within a person... an odd outlook on it.. I guess .. truthfully.. we are who we are. We are broken in the places we are broken. To deny this.. only hurts us in the end. Be honest with others in this.. they can become strength where you are weak. Thank God for the body of the church that can be the reinforcement we may need at a certain time. Now.. as far as .. "not changing at all" or "not knowing no better" .. come on.. lets instill the possibility of change.. of growth that CAN happen within us. 

Takin' Time (5/5) - Happy? What is that?. .what does it look like to gain joy and happiness in life? It is certainly not what the world around us would want us to believe. It can happen in SO many more circumstances. I really like the idea of this being where you can take time and be good with where you are. Yes.. we can be better.. yes.. we can grow.. but if we beat ourselves up all the time.. where is our joy? If we judge ourselves by our twisted path... we will never grow from it. No need to move fast.. to rush though.. choose joy now.. choose God now, and strive for the better.. while keeping our hearts high. 

Album & Information Links

Alex Faith & Dre Murray "Southern Lights: Overexposed"
Collision Records
April 28, 2015

About Southern Lights: Overexposed
This album intends to hold in tension the harsh realities of Alex and Dre's cultural realities—from upbringing to modern day—while purposely shining the light on Jesus in the darkness. This does not mean that each song will be a sermon, nor does it mean that each song on the album is trying to hide Jesus either, but rather like John Piper said, "stay in step with the gospel," even if you don't hear it explicitly in each song. There is a tension, but this album is "in step with the gospel." The album is meant to be heard in one listen, though there are stand alone songs.

Be it the politically charged song Wake Up Music; the hard-hitting intro, Overexposed; to City of Nightmares II, you will hear southern beats, flow, warm mixing and mastering, production from Wit and Swoope––on I-285 and I-610—and an album that glorifies Jesus. Arguably one of our best project yet, or as Alex says, "the best project that I have put out having finally found my voice."

Highlights
* Both are members of WLAK who debuted March 2013 at #1 on iTunes Overall and #1 on iTunes Hip Hop/Rap chart. WLAK charted on Billboard at #7 Rap, and #81 Top 200.
* In late 2014, Alex Faith and Dre Murray together toured 20+ cities around the US performing both solo & group material.* Dre Murray's label debut Gold Rush: Maybe One Day charted on Billboard #15 Rap, and #189 Top 200. GRMOD peaked at #8 on iTunes Rap Albums.
* Dre Murray is featured on Lecrae's critically acclaimed mixtape "Church Clothes" which has received over 1 million downloads
* Alex Faith's label debut ATLast charted on Billboard #16 Rap, and #193 Top 200. ATLast peaked at #8 on iTunes Rap Albums chart.
* Features labelmate Swoope whose album Sinema charted on Billboard #4 Rap, and #55 Top 200.

Southern Lights: Overexposed track listing
1. Overexposed (feat. Sean C. Johnson)
2. All Around the World (feat. Tragic Hero)
3. Wake Up Music (feat. Swoope)
4. I-285 (interlude)
5. Money (feat. Reconcile)
6. City of Nightmares II (feat. Ada-L)
7. I-610 (interlude)
8. Decatur Street Blues (feat. Corey Paul)
9. Forever
10. Takin' Time (feat. Young Noah)

For listeners of: Lecrae, Kanye West, WLAK (We Live As Kings)

iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/southern-lights-overexposed/id975355568?at=11l4Me

Links
Twitter: @alexfaithATL @dremurray22 @CollisionRecs @sohhpr

Press Contact
Josh Niemyjski
josh@sohhpr.com
@sohhpr 

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