Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Even at the best of times, Charlie Peacock is not known as a slouch but recently he seems to be excelling himself. Whilst producing the latest Switchfoot album (which is excellent by the way!) he found time to research and write his challening critique of the Christian music industry At the Cross Roads and suddenly found himself being treated as a learned professor and invited onto Christian TV shows that never wanted to know him as an artist! Strange world eh? Consequently 'Kingdom Come' is Charlie playing it safe, making inroads into the lives of a new group of people who are just discovering his music afresh. But then safe for Charlie Peacock doesn't spell bland! Like 'The Secret Of Time' a decade ago, 'Kingdom Come' simply pulls in the reins on his more experimental moments and gives you 10 expertly crafted thought-provoking songs. Some simple but devastatingly effective musical performances and the sort of top class spit and polish that has established Peacock as one of CCM's most wanted producers make this a delight. I witnessed a solo performance of the brilliant self-examining "Is The Brightness Still In Me" when I visited Nashville recently and it strikes me that most of these songs, built as they are around Charlie's solo piano, would stand up to unplugged solo presentations. As usual, Peacock's distinctive voice picks it way through the questions and searching songs he has penned and this time, uppermost in his mind is the Kingdom Of God. Not a normal subject for a CCM album, but definitely timely. He manages to walk the path of maintaining a deft musical touch whilst lyrically wrestling with the vastness of God and The Kingdom. Favourite moments? Hard to narrow it down! I like the powerpop rock of 'Don't Be Afraid', the delicate vulnerability and gorgeous Beatlesy melody of "Only You" and the jazzy tinges of 'The Night Won't Last Forever'. Overall this is classy stuff from a man who even when he understates says more with one album than some artists manage in a lifetime!

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