Christgau Consumer Guide
Unless you count Amy Grant, pop doesn’t get more explicitly Christian—not only does the back cover thank “Jesus Christ” rather than the usual “God,” but the record invites us to convert. Granted, Arrington’s a Jesse Jackson type Christian—remembers that petroleum is still a finite resource, takes pains to acknowledge the right to choose in a song where the abortion isn’t done.
Christgau Consumer Guide
DEPARTMENTS
BY
ROBERT CHRISTGAU
STEVE ARRINGTON “Dancin’ In The Key Of Life"
(Atlantic)
Unless you count Amy Grant, pop doesn’t get more explicitly Christian—not only does the back cover thank “Jesus Christ” rather than the usual “God,” but the record invites us to convert. Granted, Arrington’s a Jesse Jackson type Christian—remembers that petroleum is still a finite resource, takes pains to acknowledge the right to choose in a song where the abortion isn’t done. But his positivity theology doesn’t sell the music any more than some other ideology would. The music sells the theology, and augments it: for the first time he’s making like a songwriter, designing hooks for his vital rhythms and mellifluous vocal cartoons. The title track lives up to its dreams of Stevie, both songs about babies are choice, and it all comes together with the goofy yet spiritual scat coda to “Stand With Me” (which means stand up for Jesus, children). A-
“BEVERLY HILLS COP”
(MCA)