Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

In 1981, David Edwards' self-titled debut album launched him onto the Christian scene with a pile of fabulously produced post punk power pop and an equally fabulous skinny tie. His first album promised a great deal and showed that Edwards was skilled at creating short, snappy, energetic songs that drew as much on '60s garage influences as it did from the new wave scene. Most of the songs on the debut album come in under three minutes long and it's his brevity that somehow adds to the power of songs like "Best Friend", "Rather Be Wrong" and "Nagging Optimism". Even his cover of Paul Revere & The Raiders' "Kicks" seems to fit in well here with its observations about the emptiness of life. The strength lyrically is that Edwards uses the songs to really say something. "Disposable Love" and "The Tongue Is A Fire" are both songs with plenty to say about contemporary culture and more than 25 years later, still speak powerfully. His critique of the conversion of Bob Dylan on "Commercial Suicide" is insightful and timely whilst my lasting memory of Edwards' song "Not Going To Fall Away" is his duet with Sheila Walsh at Greenbelt. As well as the 'David Edwards' album, the first CD of this compilation, released by David himself in 2001, includes demos and a live recording of "The Feeling Part" recorded at the event. Disc two features his second album 'Get The Picture' from 1983. As listeners will hear, two years made a huge difference as Edwards' sound smoothed out losing much of its rock 'n' roll bite and consequently feeling less incisive. There are still flashes of brilliance though on "Watch Over Your Heart" and "(I Love It When You) Put Me Down" but even here there are synth sounds, sax and big '80s drums which haven't travelled well into the 21st century. Like disc one, the second CD also contains demos from the era to complete the package. David now writes the occasional book but as this compilation shows, he made a brief but significant contribution to CCM history.

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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