Kirk Franklin (The Fight of My Life) - Reviews

Kirk Franklin
The Fight of My Life

When Kirk Franklin speaks, the music community listens. Open your ears as the top selling gospel artist of all-time returns with his 7th release, creatively titled The Fight of My Life.

Sixteen tracks deep, this offering is arguably Franklin's most mature body of work to date, deftly fusing transparency with musical brilliance (read about the genesis of the album here).

A concept album in nature, The Fight Of My Life uses its sixteen tracks to ultimately chronicle the inner struggle of all believers to fully yield to God's perfect will in every area of life.

In a case of art imitating life, Franklin highlights great moments of victory in "Declaration (This Is It!)" (sampling Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald's hit), along with genuine moments of struggle on "How It Used To Be". Throughout the album, each song expresses the honest feelings of human despair highlighted by the human need for acceptance from God.

As one has come to expect, Franklin amasses an impressive list of artists to assist him in his storytelling. Pastor Rance Allen and Men of Standard's Isaac Carree reprise their lead roles from "Something About the Name Jesus" to provide killer vocals to the deliciously funky track "Little Boy".

The Fight of My Life

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Balancing the male vocal fit is the powerful ballad "Chains", which features the vocals of Melonie Daniels, Nikki Ross, and Sheri Moffett-Jones (of Ted and Sheri and The Tri-City Singers).

TobyMac rocks the house with the creative "I Am God", while Da' T.R.U.T.H. and Franklin spit serious heat on the incredibly affirming "I Like Me".

One of Franklin's evident passions as both an artist and as a man is his fight to preserve the family unit. He introduces the 11-year old prodigy named Donovan on "A Whole Nation", which speaks to the absence of the fathers within the home.

Be sure to also check out the heart-tugging "Help Me Believe" and "Hide Me".

It could easily be argued that The Fight of My Life is the modern day soundtrack to the seemingly paradoxical expression of Pauline in his letter to Romans (chapter 7).

However you slice it, there will be little to no fight for this album to grip listeners and never let go. Franklin has yet another magnum opus on his hands. Take it from his hands into your musical library.

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Production: Kirk Franklin album release date: December 16, 2007
Fo Yo Soul Entertainment / Zomba

— reviewed by Gerard Bonner —