By John Reuben | Gotee Records
Sex, Drugs and Self-Control is John Reuben’s sixth studio album, and he isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. He says: “My goals artistically are so intertwined with what I’m experiencing spiritually that it’s impossible to separate the two. I’m most creative when I feel close to the heart of God. It’s only in that place that spiritual disciplines feel like an authentic expression instead of rigid censorship. In a lot of ways this record is a confession of faith and lack thereof.”
For some, the CD title may be a bit surprising. But Reuben’s explanation will help people understand his meaning. “This album is full of many questions that I have been struggling with over the past few years,” he explains. “It felt often like there was a tension. Artistry, career and faith felt like they were standing at odds with one another. Sex, Drugs and Self-Control is really about basic questions. Questions like, ‘Am I talking about honesty more than I’m actually being honest?’ Everything seems to come back to these questions and trying to understand how art and faith can work together.”
“No Be Nah” is a song about letting your “yes be yeah and your no be nah.” One title that certainly will be included on the list of things that
make you go hmmm is “Paranoid Schizophrenic Apocalyptic Whisper
Kitten.” Though Reuben’s explanation of the title is fuzzy, it’s encouraging to know that he’s willing to confront questions of faith and address tough issues. He says of the song: “I have a struggle with the idea of making Jesus cool.
Jesus reached out to the people who didn’t smell good, who were dirty,
who were nonsophisticated. If this stuff is real, it’s beyond cool,
it’s beyond trends, it’s beyond fashion. It’s something that is worth
giving your life for.”
Reuben isn’t the only music artist willing to address the rough side of life, but his unique lyrical expression will also compel his listeners to ask their own hard questions and face their own tough issues.
Click here to purchase this CD.
