Reviewed by Bruce Dennill

This begins in much the same way as a potential new album from Matt Redman or Tim Hughes – well-produced guitar-driven arrangements, heavily accented male voice, Bible-based lyrics unashamedly to the fore. Indeed, but for a noticeable (but not hugely so) gap in songwriting nous, which will close with experience, this could be the next project in that estimable production line. One area that will need to improve is the adaptation of Bible verses into singable lyrics. Matthews’ sound would benefit from a more careful consideration of cadence and meter, so making it possible to use less filler – “yeah” stretched over three syllables, for instance – and give his words more impact. Many of the tracks are needlessly long – six minutes should be an exception, not a rule – and could have done with more stringent editing. Mild inadequacies aside, though, there are a number of songs, including “Come To Me”, “I Look To The Hills”, the marvellous duo of “There With Me” and “Don’t Worry” and “All I Need” that hold up well to any competition in the Christian pop market. All of which makes it a shame that Matthews loses focus, indulging in a little genre crossover for the title track, an instrumental that’s a little bit dance and a little bit George Benson-esque jazz. As a whole, while pleasant, it’s out of place, and it ensures that the album’s more sensible stylistic sidetracks, such as the laid-back soul of “The Only One” and the vaguely Sade-ish “Lead Me To The Place”, also sound isolated, rather than parts of a coherent whole.

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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