Reviewed by Stephen Curry

Joel and Luke Smallbone, who make up For King & Country, are, of course, the younger brothers of CCM stalwart Rebecca St James. Apart from a five-song Christmas EP released in 2013, this is their second full album since 2012's big hit 'Crave'. This new offering covers topics from recovering from past mistakes, having big dreams, keeping our allegiance to Christ and our importance to God and they are all delivered with stunning energy and catchy melodies. The sound is like that of Coldplay, Maroon 5 and Newsboys rolled into one with a craft and skill which demonstrates some sumptuous production skill. All of the songs would work well on radio, but the single "Fix My Eyes" in particular fuses and layers drums, guitars, vocals, handclaps and electronic instrumentation with inventive creativity. Another standout is the title track which starts with a simple and mellow piano intro and then roars into action with powerful vocals and driving rhythms. Each track has its own distinctive quality but "Without You" deserves a mention as an emotionally charged song of love featuring Luke's wife Courtney. The penultimate song "It's Not Over Yet" declares "To everyone who's hit their limit/Even when you think you're finished/It's not over yet" with an assurance and gusto which reverberates in the chorus. This duo have crafted a masterful pop album.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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