Reviewed by Peter Dilley

Hills Christian Life Centre has been at the epicenter of the Australian worship explosion, and as their profile has risen, so has the range of Hillsongs-related products – we’ve seen live worship extravaganzas on CD and video, plus an Australian Worship songbook and resource albums in ‘The Source’ series. Gradually, they have slid from bringing a breath of fresh air, to something that’s little more than bland mediocrity, while they milk their audience appeal with a glamorous public image. It was surely only a matter of time before they hit upon that ultimate middle-of-road cash-in, the instrumental album, and this one’s only the first volume. Once again the man behind this is songwriter and Hills Christian Life Centre Music Pastor Russell Fragar, who produces the album and plays piano, keyboards and guitar. He’s backed by a mellow (vaguely) jazz-orientated Line-up – solos on guitar, flute, trumpet and flugelhorn. No lyrics are provided, so there’s limited singalong/contemplation potential (the classic “My Jesus, My Saviour” doesn’t even feature). It’s hard to label this as anything but undiluted muzak – I’ll have to listen out for it next time Word put my phone call on hold. Now, where could I get a Darlene Zschech T-shirt?

This track data is supplied by the Cross Rhythms CD/DVD review library. Please note that CD tracks may vary according to release region or product version. You should not assume that products purchased through Cross Rhythms Direct will necessarily have identical track listings to those shown.