Reviewed by Trevor Kirk

Doug MacFarlane is a very experienced muso who's spent most of the fast 20 years reaching out with the gospel, firstly through rock music, then as a street evangelist in Hawaii, and since 1989 in full time ministry as a troubadour/muscianary all over Australia. Stylistically his 'acoustic brand of Aussie music' (to quote his biography) is a mix of country, roots and pop/rock, which has led to tours with David Msece. Leon Patillo, The Rez Band and Don Francisco. All those years of dues-paying give his latest release a quality that only comes with experience, and all the elements of his style are here. "Lifetime Call" is a thoughtful pop song, with some haunting piano. "Nation Of The Absent Father" is a crunchy rockin' rant against marriage breakdown and its consequences; "Goin' Home" is an acoustic opus with pedal steel guitar giving a country feel; and the rest of the tracks have the same quality and the same stylistic variety. Doug pulls no punches when he's doing his social comment thing, but unlike some who just criticise and don't provide any solutions, he always presents the gospel and Jesus himself as the answer to all the problems; the song "Faith" contains the line "If you seek him, you won't be turned away". A thinking person's album that will reward anyone who cares to investigate.

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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