POP MUSIC REVIEW : Smith Brings Vitality to His Gospel Pitch

Through much of Michael W. Smith’s concert at the Forum on Saturday there was a nagging feeling that this was a staging of a Dr. Pepper commercial.

The performance was filled with the same relentless chipperness, perky choreography and even all that pitching of an item that, when embraced, will somehow make you both a nonconformist and a better person.

Only one thing: Instead of Peppers, the Forum was filled with believers, and instead of selling soda, Smith was selling the Gospel.

Smith is the hottest thing going in Christian pop, not just reaching the arena level for his concerts but following Amy Grant, his former boss, into the once-uncharted territory of pop crossover. His latest album, “Change Your World,” has made an impressive showing on the pop charts.

To his credit, Smith was nowhere near as crass or condescending as opening act DC Talk (it stands for Decent Christian Talk), which takes the idea of putting the Gospel into the vernacular to ridiculous lengths with its sacred hip-hop. Introducing itself as “two honkies and a Negro serving the Lord,” the young trio--backed by three musicians and four energetic dancers--seemed like Up With People directed by Marky Mark.

DC Talk was a big hit with the crowd simply because it presses easy buttons with its sanitized hip-hop and its buzzword preaching--not because it offers any compelling art or unique message.

Working in Smith’s favor is that, like Grant, he often sells Christian values rather than a specific dogma. And he does it with enough pop values to blend nicely with secular artists, as well as to give his audience a brand of contemporary pop that they can call their own.

Songs on Saturday at times featured prominent musical references to Genesis, Billy Joel, the Beatles and dozens of other easily recognizable reference points. Smith isn’t much of a singer--his thin, reedy voice gets a bit cloying after a while. But beyond his message, much of his appeal rests in his vitality and charm. He has a natural ease onstage--and, of course, the hunk appeal that cannot be discounted even in a spiritually oriented context.

But his list of strengths stops short of compelling artistry. A Van Morrison or Eric Clapton can convey spirituality simply and understatedly as the foundation of his art without glitz. A U2 can use theatrical approaches to reveal and accent facets of the struggle and quest for meaning. Smith’s show had none of that.

Still, Smith does earn the affection of his fans and provides a valuable identification for those Christian youths who often feel left out of mass popular culture. The gusto the fans gave to several sing-alongs was impressive--and they were remarkably on key as well.

But Smith is clearly at an intriguing crossroads of his career, as his sacred pop intersects more and more with the secular world. He’s got enough going for him to be a credible force in the mainstream pop world while remaining true to his Christian foundation. This show, though, gave little hint that he’s capable of adding any depth to his art in either world. And that means that to nonbelievers, Smith might as well be selling soft drinks.