Hello Fear in Bloomington, MN

Last go-round,
Kirk Franklin
was dark and cathartic for
The Fight of My Life
, but for 2011's
Hello Fear
, despite the title,
Franklin
sounds much more positive (but still dedicated). On the cover, he stands at the edge of a rocky cliff, looking serious, ready to confront any obstacle. (After all, saying hello to fear is a welcome and not a withdrawal.) Inside, although
definitely sounds a sober note during his spoken word narrative
"The Story of Fear,"
the music is different: hopeful, inspired, encouraging. The album title is especially ironic given that
features some of the most uplifting material
has written in several years, including
"Give Me,"
"Today,"
and the lead single
"I Smile."
Elsewhere, he reprises his 1998 classic "Something About the Name Jesus" with a part two that includes contributions from
Rance Allen
,
Marvin Winans
, and
John P. Kee
, and welcomes
Marvin Sapp
for
"The Altar."
The closer, a celebratory old-school bounce track called
"A God Like You,"
is the perfect capstone. ~ John Bush