Reviewed by Andy Cooper

Church featured a lot in the Ohio upbringing of James Ingram, and his most famous hit written and performed with Michael McDonald back in the '80s was reported to have been originally called "Yahweh Be There". Still, after a couple of decades, James' well rounded and silky-yet-rough voice carries a strong identity and conveys emotion and feeling like few can. The medium-slow songs are the strong ones, such as the anthemic title track and the falsetto ridden "Mercy". However, the old hymn "Blessed Assurance" and "Beneath The Snow" can test the listeners' patience with the saccharine string arrangements and clichéd keyboard sounds. The most pleasing moment by far is when "Yah Mo Be There" starts, with its unashamed '80s synth riffs, iconic electronic drum fills and cunningly catchy chorus. It would have been a crime not to include this song.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.

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.