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When Campus Lifetalked to Jaci Velasquez last spring, she didn't know what her new album would be called. She knew what she would call it, if the decision were only up to her: Crystal Clear.

"I'm pushing for that title because I want it to be crystal clear to people that I am a Christian," she said. "I've been criticized for doing a Latin album (Llegar a Ti), and people have said I'm out of touch with God. But I feel like I'm closer to God than I've ever been."

Well, Crystal Clearit is. Jaci's fourth album (due September 5) leads off with "Escuchame" ("Listen to Me"), a spunky Spanish-styled number. Penned by Jaci (a first) and producer Mark Heimermann, it's a strong start to a well-balanced and irresistibly catchy record.

While other songs mine more mainstream influences, Crystal Cleardoesn't sound like just another diva-driven pop release. With a diverse cast of songwriters—Plumb's Tiffany Arbuckle and Salvador's Nick Gonzales are notable—and a good mix of ballads and party-starters, the album showcases Jaci's mature, 20-year-old voice.

In my heart You've found a home/You are living/You are breathing/I can feel Your presence in meshe sings on "You're Not There," another tune she cowrote. What's evident on Crystal Clear is that Jaci's not just trying to silence critics. With an exploding audience in secular circles, she's making some of the most powerful statements she's ever made about her faith. —Martin Cockroft

GROUP/ ARTIST	ALBUM (LABEL)	STYLE dsjfsfl	COMPARE TO	NOTE THIS
Deitiphobia	Lo-fi vs. Sci-fi (Eclectica)	industrial	Ministry, Nine Inch Nails	Deitiphobia, which is Greek for "Fear of God," started out a decade ago under the name "Donderfliegen" (translate that!)
Gryp	Indecision (Metrovox)	hardcore	P.O.D., Powerman 5000, Static-X	visit www.gryp.net for band member testimonies, news and links to other Christian hardcore sites
KJ-52	7th Avenue (Essential)	hip-hop	Eminem, 2Pac	KJ-52 isn't just an Adidas-clad rapper—he's also an ordained youth pastor
Heather Miller	Send Me an Angel (KMG)	roots pop/rock	Sheryl Crow, Natalie Imbruglia, Beth Hart	dc Talk's Michael Tait and former Grammatrain front man Pete Stewart co-produced and played on this album
Relient K	Relient K (Gotee)	pop punk	Blink 182, Green Day, NoFx	these friends from Ohio lifted the name "Relient K" from a 1980s automobile—the economical Plymouth Reliant K-car (the band changed "Reliant" to "Relient" for copyright reasons)
Skypark	Over Blue City (Word)	Beatle-esque modern rock	Barenaked Ladies, Lenny Kravitz, Vertical Horizon	the Skypark guys waited over two years to follow up their debut, Am I Pretty? (Word), saying they needed time to "learn how to write songs"

Jaci Velasquez:
•Crystal Clear

Deitiphobia:
•Lo-fi vs. Sci-fi

Gryp:
•Indecision

KJ-52:
•7th Avenue

Heather Miller:
•Send Me an Angel

Relient K:
•Relient K

Skypark:
•Over Blue City
•Am I Pretty?

Copyright © 2000 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine. Click here for reprint information on Campus Life.
September/October 2000, Vol. 59, No. 2, Page 29

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