![]() ![]() It’s obvious that Jaci is trying to find herself on this album, and sadly, she’s taking us along for the ride. In addition to many successful contemporary CDs, Jaci had a wonderful Christmas album back in 2001, and her Spanish-language records have garnered her three Dove awards in addition to the four she already has. There’s plenty from her collection to delight in. If you’re looking for a worthy follow-up to her last album, Unspoken, you may want to let this album release pass you by. However, the excursion into Brit rock leaves the listener confused and ultimately disappointed. Between a star producer and her own reputation, this album should have been a no-brainer. I fault her for not making a good rock album. So I don’t fault Jaci for wanting to make a rock album. They go through different phases of life, and the art they produce usually reflects those changes. I recognize that artists are people, and people change. With a tapestry of violins draping the background and a hint of jazz, this song offers an oasis in the desert of Beauty Has Grace where Jaci finally sounds like Jaci again. It’s a slow rock groove with a modern swing, in which she sings, “Supernatural thing / I’d do anything / To see Your face”. “Supernatural” is the album’s saving grace. It’s a shame because “When You Hold Me” contains the best line of the whole album: “Put Your arms around me Lord / When I’m not worth waiting for”. However, Jaci is trying to do things with her voice that it isn’t made to do. It’s an attempt to sound like other rock divas like Plumb or Tricia Brock of Superchick. ![]() Jaci’s signature voice is reduced to a grainy, strained whining that’s hard to listen to without wincing. ![]() “When You Hold Me” is by far the biggest disappointment. With songwriting being the strong suit of the top bands today (i.e., Casting Crowns, Switchfoot), an artist can't afford to throw away words like this. It’s not bad but it’s not terribly novel either. In “Prayer to Love”, she co-writes: “Capture me, don’t set me free / Surround me with Your love / Let me see through your eyes / Touch me with Your grace”. Jaci lent her writing talents to Beauty from Grace but that sadly doesn’t save it. It’s one of the few songs on the album that is strong musically, but it’s at the sacrifice of Jaci’s vocal presence. Thus, the guitars overshadow her - especially on “Something Beautiful”. Her voice is too soft for the heavy riffs. They want to be hard rock but her vocals simply don’t match. However, Jaci seems lost on Beauty Has Grace and as a result, the songs go nowhere. Previous Velasquez albums were driven by her sultry voice perfectly paired with classic ballads like “God So Loved” and "Adore". Beauty Has Grace is a Top 40 mess of bland rock’n’roll and far beneath the talents of this once nearly flawless artist. If influences of the latter are present in this record, I must have missed a note or two. This album is supposed to have strong British leanings as Jaci recorded in London with producer Martin Terefe who’s worked with The Flaming Lips and Coldplay. It’s called Beauty Has Grace but frankly this grace isn’t all that beautiful. Jaci’s back with a new sound and a new album. CBN.comRemember the first time you listened to “Un Lugar Celestal”? Do you still smile when you hear the soft, gentle voice of a Latina beauty sing “On My Knees”? Remember Jaci Velasquez? Well, forget what you know.
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