Reviewed by John Daniels

An International production with the talent springing from our own backyard, so to speak. The City Church has a "church plant" in Houston, Texas (both oil cities), and it's there that this album was recorded, using musicians from both fellowships. The dozen tracks are a mixture of worship styles, some like "Ever Faithful" and "Let The River Come" are perhaps the choruses of tomorrow. Others like "Father's Obsession" and "Starting Out" lead you to meditate on God as Father and His search for us. Nine of the tracks are the work of group leader Guy Bastable, and three of the husband and wife team Kevin and Shona Russel. This pair are responsible for the opening track, the excellent reworking of Charles Wesley's' "(Oh For) A Thousand Tongues", which here has a driving Celtic, folk rock rhythm. The arrangement of "Be Thou My Vision" is also theirs and these two stand out initially because of familiarity. Guy Bastable's work is more reflective and worth taking time over, his "rhetorical conversation" with God on "No Other Reason" spoke to me. The simplicity of the mix and its spaciousness gives this production the "as live" feel which is just right for a worship album. A very good first effort.

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