Reviewed by Steve Best

Speaking as one whose church has made albums such as this, I would advise that unless you really want your work to be heard by a much wider audience, and therefore be open to criticism, you restrict it to the church circle. From the letter that accompanies this album, it’s even hard to tell whether Dagenham's Bethel Church actually WANT it reviewed. Trouble is, you’re really on very sticky ground with worship sets, as much of the material has been recorded hundreds of times before. Not that this album is a bad one; the self-penned songs are pleasant, if not totally memorable, while the standards have “interesting” arrangements (Reuben Morgan’s “You Said” seems to be performed very fast, while the Dan Stradwick classic “The Lord Reigns” feels way too slow – ah well, each to his own, I suppose). The vocals are adequate but again, the production shows up some deficiencies, with no really strong lead vocal performances. As a 75th Anniversary memento for the church, this is fine, but for a wider audience, I don’t think so.

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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