Who is Forrest Frank? Well, he is one-half of mainstream hip-hop/pop act Surfaces, perhaps best known for their smash song "Sunday Best." After multiple albums with his primary gig since 2017 and, his solo offerings since 2022, Forrest Frank now joins the Christian music arena in 2024. This is his first full-length album, titled Child of God, and is full of effective guest vocalist features including Tori Kelly, JVKE, Cain, Hulvey, and Caleb Gordon. Genre-wise, it's tough to nail down, so a new mashup genre I'll deem "pop-hop-bop" seems as appropriate as any. Regardless, his music has been described as a "feel-good time," and I can attest that's how I've left each listening session. This is happy hip-hop with moments of singing, R&B, and loads of positivity. Peabod is a fair almost-not-quite comparison, but Frank stands apart by leaning into the vertical worship genre a little more than his contemporary.

My main concern about the album before its release was previously having heard several of these songs before the full album drop. I was a little worried that there wouldn't be enough new material that could match the quality of the singles, or just enough new material period. A handful of albums utilizing this similar waterfall single effect have lost me by diluting the album experience, but with twelve additional tracks and three interludes saved for the album, it was a needless worry. All told, there's a great balance of old and new to keep me, and likely many other listeners, coming back.

The previously heard tunes -- "All the Time," "No Longer Bound," "Up!" "Good Day," and "I Lift My Hands" -- all act as good anchoring points within the tracklist, and remain the biggest highlights. However, over time, I could see the smooth track "Miracle Worker" with Tori Kelly, the danceable "Always," the catchy piano-led "Sunshine," the groovy "Life is Good," and the windows-down-sing-along with Cain, "Safe and Sound" join that cream-of-the-crop level.

All in all, aside from a long tracklist that still doesn't feel almost an hour long, and a song or two bearing a resemblance to one another, there isn't a bad tune present. You'll know within the first few songs of this album if it's right for you, but if you enjoy artists like Peabod -- the equivalent of sonic sunshine, smiling -- and are looking for a perfect end-of-summer soundtrack for good time activities, then this is going to be your jam. So whether you put the whole album on, or cherry-pick a few songs, you are going to want to roll those windows down, turn the music up, and party on!

- Review date: 7/30/24, written by Josh Balogh of Jesusfreakhideout.com

 

 

 Record Label: river house records
 Album length: 20 tracks: 58 minutes, 44 seconds
 Street Date: July 26, 2024
 Buy It: Amazon Music

1. WHAT LIVING IS ALL ABOUT (2:39)
2. NO LONGER BOUND (feat. Hulvey) (3:00)
3. UP! (feat. Connor Price) (2:17)
4. MORE THAN A FEELING (3:25)
5. SAFE AND SOUND (feat. CAIN) (2:59)
6. LIFE IS GOOD (2:48)
7. MIRACLE WORKER (feat. Tori Kelly) (3:04)
8. HEY GRANDAD (3:21)
9. ALL I NEED (feat. Hulvey) (3:23)
10. GOD IS GOOD (feat. Caleb Gordon) (3:28)
11. ALWAYS (2:38)
12. RICH MAN (3:16)
13. HALLELUJAH (2:29)
14. WELL DONE (feat. Sam Rivera) (2:17)
15. GOOD DAY (2:51)
16. SUNSHINE (2:59)
17. NEVER GET USED TO THIS (feat. Jvke) (2:25)
18. NEVER LEFT MY SIDE (2:33)
19. LIFT MY HANDS (3:40)
20. CHILD OF GOD (feat. Jonathan Pokluda) (3:14)