Reviewed by Norman Smith

This is especially for those who like grandiose concert hall worship with booming productions. "Prom praise" is a fine description of this collection of classic and newer hymns and songs, right down to the inclusion of Elgar's "Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1"! It's as British as can be, with the odd nod to America in two decent versions of "Give Me Joy In My Heart" and "Shall We Gather At The River". The compilers have chosen wisely on the whole, with just a couple of exceptions; the inclusion of Sir Cliff is gratuitous as guest vocalist. He substitutes the perfectly adequate verb "to shine" for a pseudo-American imposter, so "Shine Jesus Shine" becomes a ridiculous "Shane Jesus Shane" (I can hear you all now Clifficising!), add to that "brightness" becoming "brateness" and this song should have been lost forever. Also there is a limp arrangement of "The Servant King", robbing Kendrick's finest hour of the drama, tragedy and pathos it richly deserves. These are blips in a rewarding 19 song/hymn mix. Joanne Lunn is the star vocalist, with impressive renderings of "I The Lord Of Sea And Sky" and the lovely modern version of "Here Is Love Vast As The Ocean" and, as in any sensible church service, "Crown Him With Many Crowns" is the final hymn.

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