This collection of high-energy Christian rock is aimed squarely at the teenage girl demographic. That's no surprise, given that Smith authored a book last year titled Crossroads: The Teenage Girl's Guide to Emotional Wounds.
Far be it from me to judge this post-pubescent crusade, but there's a contradiction that makes it difficult to swallow: Smith sings about not doing her hair and not figuring out what to wear because "beauty is in you."
If that's so, I wonder: Why is Smith's perfectly unblemished skin caked in make-up on her album cover?
The pitch of this music is void of nuance. Like the cheerleading chorus of "Superstar," it's as perpetually bish-boom-bam as an Up With People encore.
Not Afraid is worthy of divine forgiveness.