Crosswalk.com

The Incredible Walk

reviewed by Andree Farias
Sounds like … the combination of fun and function of Kanye West, Jay-Z, the Wu-Tang Clan, and The Cross MovementAt a glance … this Walk is a street-smart, head-bobbing exploration of the conflict between redemption and human nature.Track ListingB SidePsych CheckCall Shabach (Interlude)Me?Shot Clock (Brand New Day)The AmazinGraceOdd JobPress OnThe Incredible WalkHip-Hop MusicDirge DefinedDirgy DancingFlood Waters (Interlude)Grieved AgainCome HomeIn HereR & RHope in the Streetz

Phanatik says The Incredible Walk is a play on words on the The Incredible Hulk. While you won't find any references to Dr. Bruce Banner and his oversized green persona other than in the cover art, the rapper does an admirable job of setting the main premise of Romans 7—the conflict between the sinful nature of man and the perfect nature of God—against a street-smart backdrop.

While his lyrical style varies from syllabic and easy-to-understand to rapid-fire and metaphorical ("Psych Check" gives you a small sampling of the versatility of his flow), Phanatik for the most part keeps things straightforward and Christ-centered, but never clich?or forceful. The rapper's obvious forte is his sharp-toothed wordplay, a quality that the confident title track or the dizzying "The AmazinGrace" accentuate clearly.

Rhythmically, this Walk is less banger-heavy than your typical CM album, though some tracks will still liven up the dance floor with on-point resonance ("Dirgy Dancing"). But the emcee is equally adept at gliding atop the smoother ("Shot Clock"), more minimalist ("Press On"), or more underground material ("Me?"), getting progressively darker and more conversational as the album draws to a close. It's a trip well worth taking, courtesy of one of the more theological names in Christian hip-hop.