Lecrae | Restoration | (Reach Records)
4.5 out of 5 stars
Videos by American Songwriter
The second component to Lecrae’s three-piece project recounting his story of tribulations, emotional warfare and eventual renewal, the hip-hop/rap artist’s latest album, Restoration, sheds a surprising and approachable light into the niche genre.
In a sphere of thought where a singular narrative often holds precedence, Lecrae’s inclusion of multiple voices to tell his restoration story is refreshing and challenges the perspective that might confine him to one sonic definition. Lecrae’s 2018 album, Let The Trap Say Amen, which hit the peak of Christian rap, his typical genre classification, didn’t bring quite as many impressive feature credits leading to such a multi-dimensional attitude.
Each track on Restoration tells the overarching story, lending itself to the linear narrative and rendering the next portion of the puzzle that is Lecrae’s — or anyone’s — restoration. It’s clear that the album was intentional from start to finish.
The fifth track of the record, “Self Discovery,” outlines the rapper’s personal journey of uncovering not only his physical roots but emotional scars that needed healing.
“Heal this branch on the family tree, that was here for me, man, the roots so deep, self discovery, self discover me, help uncover me, help me to understand who I’m supposed to be,” the song denotes.
With a pulsing underscore that draws a connecting cord to a classic trap beat, the song also features an almost lo-fi sounding piano that prods along and soothes the ear while keeping the mind engaged.
Consecutive tracks “Saturday Night” and “Sunday Morning” demonstrate the metaphorical but real life story of a rough night transformed into a renewed morning. Entering the second half of the album, the sonic underlay starts to round the corner of the restoration journey.
The beautiful thing about the record is that it fits many varying moods. Peaceful evenings in a car or early mornings at the gym would both be appropriate places to listen, the story shining through boldest if listened to in its entirety, from top to bottom.
Check out Chapter One of Lecrae’s new book of the same title below.
