Reviewed by Dave Griffiths

Carolyn Arends presents us with a collection of songs written out of 'Holy Discontent', as she states in the sleevenotes. That doesn't mean that her music is glum or even angry. It's more of a groovy-grumble played out brilliantly on acoustic instruments. This project is brilliantly recorded and mixed resulting in a shimmering sound that sounds delightfully organic. 12 songs adorn this album and each one is excellent. The Canadian singer/songwriter is a keen musician, but has a great talent with lyrics which go together to make fantasticly crafted songs. The highlights of the first half is "What In The World", a tune with a great foot-tapping pace and a great use of Scripture to listen out for. The playing on this album is a real pleasure to listen to, particularly the drumming of Phil Robertson and Arends' own keyboard skills. There is an alternative country pull to a lot of this music, but it's never too much. The themes are very much about the emptiness of western living. "More Is Less" is one of the best commentaries on consumer society I've ever heard. In short, this is a hugely impressive 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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