Review of Dietrick Haddon's "Revealed"

The world never stops turning; we either find a way to cope with what’s going on or get rolled over. Dietrick Haddon’s sixth solo album, Revealed, deals heavily with choice in our lives, and how choosing God is most beneficial.

“I’m Alive,” outfitted with a thumping beat topped with a joyful flute, urgently demands you to choose victory when problems arise, while “Let Me Go” kicks the devil to the curb with its no-nonsense rock beat. Similarly, “Go With Me,” a danceable electrofunk romp, dares the listener: “you can do it if you wanna…put some work behind your faith.” “Love Him Like I Do,” the electrified head-nodder featuring Mary Mary and Ruben Studdard, enables the three acts to sum up the rewards one can receive from faith. “God saved me from myself when no one else was around,” sings Studdard in the album's lead song.

Just as Haddon understands his listeners grapple with faith and situations that threaten to pull them away from God, he alludes to his personal struggles on the autobiographical “Soul Survivor” and gives insight into what keeps him going. “I got to tell myself/just ignore them/think about the souls that you must win/it’s your anointing that they’re scared of/just keep showing them love,” he shares.

Though most of the songs describe or call for decisive action, several others echo the anguish of a fallen moment. “It’s Raining,” with its exotic drumbeat, cries out for understanding, as does “I Need Your Help.” “Ungrateful,” a turbulent funk track punctuated by a sinister violin,  expresses shame for not being satisfied with what the Lord has done: “you've given the gift of life, oh, that's a fact/what would we do if you took it all back?” Haddon asks.

Black entertainment site EURWeb reported that Haddon wanted to speak to a broad range of people with this album. “Our music has to reach beyond religious beliefs to connect on a greater level,” he stated. The wide range of musical influences heard on this offering, including Michael Jackson, Rick James, Lenny Kravitz, Kanye West and Timbaland, ensure that many ears will be piqued enough to hear the messages within. Though the quality of the music sometimes distracts from the lyrics, Revealed is a solid inspirational work.