Reviewed by Trevor Kirk

Say what you like about Garth Hewitt, his music and his singing voice, but you can't fault the man for his work rate. He still keeps close tabs on Greenbelt (of which he was one of the founding fathers), he's Regional Co-ordinator for London and the South East of England on behalf of Christian Aid, and he's priest-in-charge of All Hallows-On-The-Wall Church in the City of London. His music output is no less prodigious: this is by my reckoning the 25th album put out by this wandering troubadour over the last 25 years. This album is a compilation of old songs that Word have regrouped geographically, thus we get songs on Asian topics from "Road To Freedom" (1983). "Lonesome Troubadour" (1991). "Memories" (1992). "Stronger Than The Storm" (1993), "Walk The Talk" (1993). "Mud On My Eyes" (1984). "Pilgrims And Peacemakers" (1995) plus one brand new song, recorded in 1997 "I Want To Cry Out". The age of the material covers 14 years, and I find it fascinating to compare the 1983 tracks with the new one and hear how the Hewitt pipes have mellowed (some might say deteriorated) over the intervening period. Also, the arrangements in '83 sound positively crowded compared to the stripped down production on the '90s albums. The quality of the songs vary and suffer by having to fit into a concept: "Walk In His Shoes", based on Scripture verses adapted by Mother Teresa, is a good one: "Imelda Marcos' Disco Dancing Shoes" has (naturally) a disco beat, but one or two of the others are rather weak. Okay for newcomers but aficionados may be disappointed.

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