Reviewed by Richard Toller

John Russo is a singer/songwriter, music graduate, producer and church elder from New York. This, his second album, is a fine collection of songs that explore the interface between faith and life. Opener "I'll Follow You" expresses pure devotion to our faithful, loving Creator God, while "Hearts Broken" explores the struggles: "The shadows that we hold inside/The darkness that we try to hide/Are part of who we are. And we struggle hard to find/A life with dignity and grace/And we hope that it's not too late." The realities of life, heartbreak and human weakness, the sometimes confident, sometimes tentative, sometimes desperate reaching out to the wonder and hope found in Christ - "Peter's Song" puts these struggles in the mouth of the apostle, desperate not to lose the love of his Lord: "All I can say is no please don't go/Let me tell you why/You are my whole world." Soulful vocals, fine musicians, arrangements that give the songs room to breathe; a style you might just call "singer/songwriter", an appeal that grows with repeated listens.

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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