Reviewed by Tony Cummings

A reviewer is prepared to wade through a mountain of CD dross for those sublime but-all-too-rare moments when he leaps from his chair and hits the repeat button again. . . and again. This is a truly monumental soul-gospel album, the rotund member of Commissioned showing that he has both the production chops, songwriting ability and gaspingly soulful voice to become mega, if he gets BeBe and CeCe-style promotion of course, and the fickle black music public can cope with a man built like the side of a mountain. From the opener where a tinny wah wah guitar rhythm leads into a glorious funky strut about a granddad who's persuaded to keep the faith to the end to the classy MOR ballad "I'm Not Afraid", this is an album which so artfully straddles the seeming opposing worlds of production sheen and joyful spontaneity that it must surely be one of the outstanding albums of the year. If you like your Christian music soulful and funky you've GOT to get this one for Christmas.