Despite the prevalent beliefs in society today, the true measure of success has nothing to do with our status in life, our job, our clothes, or any material possessions. Success waxes and wanes as we draw closer to or run farther from God. It's difficult to understand this in a materialistic society, but the fullness of life is found not in our possessions, but in our relationship to God. The sooner we realize this, the sooner we stop "needing" things and the sooner we can experience the joy, peace, and love that Christ promised to us all.Hailing from the Cross Movement camp, J.R. blesses the microphone with a release that discusses the realization of this societal paradox and encourages his listeners to value God more than the things of this world. Metamorphosis details the transformation from living apart from God to living with Him. The album first establishes the authority and power of God, praising Him on tracks like "Superstar," "The Greatest," and "Amazing" and continues to tell of the relationship with Him that's available to us. Songs like "Danger" and "Temptations" point out some of the struggles that we can rely on God to get us through. Other songs ("Smile," "Press On") address the promise of companionship and protection that Jesus promised when he said that he'd never leave or forsake us. Another important message is found in the track "For Me," which details God's redemptive work.As far as R&B albums go, Metamorphosis is right on par with any other releases that one might find on the shelves today. The album features top-notch production, a great balance of tempos and of course J.R.'s vocals that are nothing less than brilliant. Opening with a compelling track, "Beautiful Light" that has a strong rhythm and nice touches of vocal panache and continuing throughout the album, J.R. keeps the listener tuned in to each song, whether it's a banger like "Temptations" or a show stopping ballad like "God of Peace" Some highlights include "With You," a mid tempo ballad with nice percussive touches, "Danger," a straight ahead banger with a great soundtrack, and "Shine Your Light," which features guest vocals from Tia and Keran and a spectacular sound.When all is said and done, Metamorphosis is very likely the album that Christian fans of R&B have long been waiting for. The release shows a clear understanding of the genre and proves to be authentic and believable from that perspective. Fans of hip hop, R&B, and a really smooth combination of the two will definitely want to add this to their collection. J.R. is an artist to watch and enjoy for years to come.
