by Staff Writer Sam Gardiner

Ever since being discovered by TobyMac back in 2008, hip hop sensation B.Reith has never looked back. After releasing his debut studio album Now Is Not Forever (featuring the hit song “The Comeback Kid”) through Gotee Records in 2009, Brian became instantly admired for his ability to not only rap exceptionally, but for his amazing voice and flow.

Now after a two year hiatus in fresh music and high demand from fans, B.Reith returns with his sophomore full-length album How The Story Ends. The title can seem a little misleading, as my initial thought about it was, is this the end of B.Reith? To my relief, the answer is no. Teaming up with an all-star cast including Lecrae, Lisa Gungor, Dave Barnes and PJ Morton, B.Reith delivers twelve new tracks that encourage the listener to keep persevering through the hard times in life, a theme that was born out of Brian’s personal experience during the writing of the album.

How The Story Ends kicks off with “Next Move”, a jumpy, poppy track that will have you clapping along! In this song, Brian speaks of not knowing the next move in his career, and trusting God to steer him in the right direction. Following this song is the romantic ballad “Simple Days”, speaking of a young couple that tries to focus more on each other rather than the various possessions that they have accumulated. “I just wanna get back to the way things used to be/when it was just you and me/everything was so simple/said, how in the world did it get so complicated?”

“Lonely Hearts Club” initially surprised me with its uniqueness, as it sounds like nothing B.Reith has done before. With an emphasis on Brian’s melodic, autotuned vocals, this song is about people desperately searching for love but concealing their inmost pain. “2 Steps Forward” features a catchy beat and top-class rapping blended with clever lyrics that encourage the listener to step out in their faith and trust that God will guide them through. This song follows the story of B.Reith during the recording process, as he committed himself to finishing the album.

From this point, the album displays everything that is expected from B.Reith; catchy, poppy, energetic tunes. And then “Made For More” comes along. Featuring guest appearances from Lecrae and Lisa Gungor, it really evokes a sense of sadness with its profound lyrics. This moving, powerful track speaks of the tragedies of life such as depression, bulimia, suicide and domestic abuse, while simultaneously reminding the listener that true hope can be found only in the Saviour. Lisa’s haunting vocals and Lecrae’s familiar rapping make for the perfect collaboration! “Moments Like This” seems to have a secular hip-hop influence, as it is dedicated to anyone who has ever wondered if following their dream is worth all the trouble. B. encourages his listeners to accept that doing what you’re best at isn’t easy, but it’s certainly worth fighting for!

Following “Drawing Board (Interlude)” comes “For Once In My Life” featuring a cameo appearance from PJ Morton, who brings a jazzy, R&B, gospel vibe to the song. The flowing vocals of B.Reith and PJ combine well to bring forth a message of stepping out and making a positive change in our lives. “New Found Love” is based around the central line that speaks of finally letting the “light shine through our eyes” and discovering the unconditional love of Jesus. “I’ve got a new found, I’ve got a new found love/It’s always been around…/It took me until now to find it.”

The album progresses with two of my favourites from the album; “I’ll Get By” and “How The Story Ends”. The former of these songs is an anthem dedicated to those who are less fortunate or struggling in life, encouraging them to have a positive “she’ll be right” attitude, seeking out God above all worldly possessions. The upbeat, contemporary title track sums up the message of the album, as it speaks of B. overcoming the obstacles and succeeding in the production of this new record. In the bridge, it encourages the listener to hold on because “The Author of your story had the end in mind when He wrote this page.”

The acoustic-driven closing track “Not Who I Am”, featuring Dave Barnes, challenges the listener to become how God meant for us to be. “But this is not who I am/not who I’m meant to be/I’ve been living a lie/truth come and set me free/set me free.” This beautiful song accentuates the polished vocals of both B. and Dave, closing the album on the perfect note.

B.Reith’s new album How The Story Ends is certainly an enjoyable listen! This album is all about victory; not just Brian’s victory in once again producing a top-class album, but the comforting reminder that we can trust God to guide us in our next move. B.Reith really is a one-of-a-kind artist, because I believe there are NO other Christian hip-hop artists out there who can rap exceptionally, have incredible vocal flow and consistently deliver tracks that will make you laugh, dance, sing along, smile, or cry all at the same time! Now we know how the story ends, and boy is it good!

Sam Gardiner is a teen from Australia who has a passion for Christian music. When not writing for his Christian music website, God Tunes Reviews, he enjoys soccer, bike riding, reading, playing guitar and hanging out with family. He dreams of eventually writing and recording a song, and meeting his musical hero TobyMac.