Citizens Activ - Album Review

Chris Greenwood knows what it takes to get hearts pumping, beats pulsing and people rockin’ out. Greenwood, better known as Manafest, has once again delivered an album that is fun, catchy and filled with great rhythms. Manafest, who hails from Canada sounds like a blend between KJ-52, Enimem (without all the junk) and tobyMac. His third release is called Citizens Activ (BEC Recordings). “The record is about people taking action in their own lives. We need to be inspired and active in chasing our dreams”, Manafest explains. Manafest worked with producer Adam Messinger (New Kids on the Block, Eva Avila) to create eleven tracks that can connect with the listener and stir the passion inside of them to make a start in their lives. The new record is a great blend of rap, pop, rock and gospel sounds.

Manafest wastes no time to get you to groove, in the first track “4-3-2-1” he starts off with a hip-hop sound and simple lyrics to hook you in. His voice sounds strikingly similar to Enimem but you soon forget that as you hear the beat and start your head bobbing. In his single “So Beautiful” he teams up with Trevor McNevan (Thousand Foot Krutch) to produce a song saturated with rock and a positive message. According to Manafest, “The song speaks of the struggle and hard work you put into something, and getting to finally see the beautiful outcome. A lot of times you need to look inward to see the big picture.” Songs like “Steppin’ Out” and the club anthem “Top of the World” show Manafest’s talent of blending non-stop high energy, danceable tunes with a little rock mixed in and fast lyrics. “Good Day” and “Free” are a little slower with a slight R&B sound. “Good Day” talks about having a positive outlook on each day no matter what life throws at you and “Free” mixes in electronic sounds while telling listeners that they are “Free to live, free to love, free to get up, free to get out and get up and move on…”. “Lean on Me” is a painfully honest song about taking that step to rely on someone to be your friend when you need it most. Manafest closes out the record with a positive note in “Live On” which tells a summary of his life, saying “I know I can move on, I still believe it, live on!! I know I can be strong, Come on and sing it, live on!!!”

Manafest’s Citizens Activ is a well produced, commercially appealing record that is jam-packed with good material. In certain places the album is weak lyrically; filled with clichés, gimmicky phrases and over simplifications like in “Break Up”. But in general, he is able to relate his life to others in a simple way with a good message and great beats. “I’ve learned to take real life experiences and have tried to create songs that paint realistic and common themes of people. I want the listener to feel like it is them in the song.” The tracks on this will certainly make you get up off the couch and hopefully ignite the fire to get you to move to make a change for the better.

Reviewed by: Kriss