Darrell Kelley "Focus" Review

Darrell Kelley is an artist that keeps his nose to the grindstone. That is evident in the sheer amount of music this artist has released recently. Focus is his latest missive to his fans and his congregation. It begins with the good Bishop exhorting his listeners to get up off the couch and focus on engagement with their fellow human beings to better their communities. The understanding tone in which he says “I know you didn’t succeed this time” shows he has the understanding of the individual in mind. That quickly gives way to his next forceful part of his message. The larger community is the recipient of the next part, “I know you can do this”. He knows you can because, he understands that he himself can. 

Confidence and truth mixed together can be a heady brew. Especially, when you take it seriously. Bishop Kelley, is a serious man when it comes to the production of humanity and spreading a good message. “The sky is the limit and the rest of it is up to you” also betrays a deeper understanding of how humanity can be confused by various messages and politics where the individual and their actions get subsumed by the collectivist ideas that are born of man, not the message that is born of God’s wisdom.  Man has proven to be a marvelous and wondrous being when combined with true and honest faith in God. More lives have been saved by religion, than any political party will ever allow credit for. He goes deeper into these concepts in his role as the author of the Book of UWGEAM.

There is something appealing though in regards to the constraints a 4-minute song can produce in preaching a message. There is no room for fat in these songs. Clear and concise wording meant to have impact and meaning is the order of the day on Focus. Which this reviewer find’s very ironic, in a mirthful way. The only thing I can suggest that the Pastor focus on himself, is widening the production elements here. This track treads the same ground production wise as some of his earlier songs.  His last release, Call His Name, had broken out of that staid production formula and to find this track as the next release was a small let down. There is a real contender of an artist here. He should be focusing on furthering his art in the realms of the new. While keeping his message of God’s love uniform. I think if he looks deep inside and applies a little “Focus” he can keep moving his music and his career going ever upward. The song, despite having such good message, feels like a place holder, not a great leap forward.