Ghetto Revelations - Urban Mystic

For his debut album, Urban Mystic works his way through 14 generally impressive songs, all of which have their own attributes and a few of which are absolutely wonderful. Titled Ghetto Revelations, the album is clearly an exercise in contemporary R&B, though it's a bit out of the ordinary. Urban Mystic sure sings like an R&B singer, and well at that, but his lyrics have perhaps more in common with his rap peers than the likes of Usher, Anthony Hamilton, and Mario. If this doesn't seem apparent right away, it certainly will once you hit the sixth song: "Fuck Song." Yup, Urban Mystic is often quite frank in his language, not unlike R. Kelly at times (unambiguous songs like "Feelin' on Yo Booty" and "Down Low" come to mind). Not to overstate the sexual content of Ghetto Revelations, though. It's actually quite varied in subject matter, unlike a great many contemporary R&B albums, which are often all about sex, albeit often shrouded in allusive rhetoric. "Where Were You," one of the few absolutely wonderful songs that kick off the album in grand fashion, is a better gauge of what's on Urban Mystic's mind in general: it's a heartfelt song that celebrates many of the commonalities shared by urban Americans, from remembrances of 2Pac's and Biggie's deaths to more personal remembrances, like where you were when you first rode in a Benz. Clearly, Urban Mystic is a card-carrying member of the hip-hop generation, even if he's a singer rather than a rapper and even if he comes from a church background rather than a drug-dealing one. And as such, his music no doubt should appeal to the hip-hop generation, who like their artists to speak from the heart in frank language with distinct style. Urban Mystic does this, and if you need evidence, look to the "Urban" in his name, the "Ghetto" in his album title, and the street-level character in his music. But there's another side to the singer, and that's the side signified by the "Mystic" in his name, the "Revelations" in his album title, and the enlightened sense of soul in his music. Here's a guy who cannot only sing well and write engaging songs, but also a guy who is street without forsaking his soul to those streets. Urban Mystic may not have the hitmaking magic of Usher, but he's certainly more real and artistically much more interesting. Ghetto Revelations overall is a very promising debut that might not slot well commercially but surely deserves to be heard and appreciated by those who like their R&B straight off the cuff without too many mass-market considerations. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide