Incarnation is desperately needed for the salvation of today's contemporary Christian music.  It's not the dexterity of coming up with the most indelible melody or crafting the most irresistible hook that elevates a good song to greatness.  It's not even in whether or not a singer can hold a tune.  Rather, what sets a song apart as anointed is when the singer is able to incarnate into the song.  Greatness happens when a singer is able to inhibit each and every syllable that when his or her mouth opens as they are the cries of the heart to God.  And such a gift cannot be learnt in any music college.  Rather, it is acquired through the school of hard knocks; it is only through the pain and suffering that we become educated in the rhetoric of the Spirit's power.  JJ Weeks is a graduate of such a school and he has passed with honors.  The last three years have been nothing but incendiary for the Weeks' family. Family deaths, a difficult pregnancy and the subsequent ill health of their infant over the last three years were enough to ravage any soul.  But by God's grace and Weeks' tenacious faith in God, not only have he and his family triumphed, but such a time also inspired the 10 songs found on this new CD "All Over the World."

Based in Macon, Georgia, JJ Weeks has been involved in the music ministry since his childhood.  Over the years, he has had been involved in every form of worship ministry imaginable, from singing solos to spearheading church musicals to leading worship.  After attending Bible college to be a youth ministry, Weeks felt compelled to step out in faith and be involved in the music ministry full time.  Touring extensively for the last ten years, Weeks has released three independent albums. Slowly Weeks added on bass player David Hart, drummer Robbie Fritz, and guitarist Cody Preston to form what is now known as JJ Weeks Band.  'All over the World" is this quartet's debut record for Inpop Records (home of Jaci Velasquez, Mat Kearney, The Advice and Tricia Brock).  The most important to say about this record is that JJ Weeks inhibits each and every song here.  He sings as though his life depends on each and every note.  His glowing passion for Christ permeates through his Chris Daughtry esque vocals that can soar explosively yet when he croons, he can heal the hearts of the broken.

Most heart rendering is album opener "Is It Ever."  Starting with a lovely piano introduction before giving way to a MercyMe rock tune, "Is It Ever" is an infectious song.  But more than the melody is the message behind the song.  One of the reasons why this song will resonate with so many of us is because it gives expression the frustrations we have when we are suffering:  "is it ever going to work itself out?/it's not up to us to figure it out/'cause he said he's gonna work it all out."  Suffering is wasted pain if it does not seek healing in the Cross of Jesus.  This is the thesis for the power ballad "What Kind of Love."  Calling to mind 2 Corinthians 1 where Paul tells us that we are comforted in our suffering so that we can share Christ's comfort, "We've Been There" articulates such a truth over a peppy tune with a danceable militant drum line.

A personal favorite is the anthemic guitar heavy rock ballad "Flood Down." Descriptive in its details of how sufferings can overwhelm us, but the beauty of it is that the picture Weeks paints of Jesus is even greater.  If some of these tunes remind us of Third Day, it's because the album is produced by Third Day's keyboardist Scotty Wilbanks.  "Sunrise" with its bell-like keyboard riffs and chugging melody, for instance, is something that would sit comfortably on a Third Day album.  In times when we feel most troubled, this album is like a comforting brother or sister in Christ sitting across the counselling sofa weeping with us and prayerfully nudging us to trust Jesus even more.