Reviewed by Tony Cummings

With a name like his, you'd half expect Ken Weatherford to be a character from Coronation Street, but in fact he's a new talent on the US independent worship scene with 'Chalk' his promising debut release from 2005. A native of Memphis and a 'vocal performance' graduate of Lambuth University, Weatherford reminded me at times of fellow American modern worshipper Lincoln Brewster but with acoustic, rather than electric, leanings in terms of production and delivery. The comparison mainly stems from his singing: rocky, "real", energetic but not OTT. And the songs? Like many of his contemporaries, Weatherford blurs the lines between what's "worship" and what's not. His stuff comes across as more personal (Martyn Joseph) and less congregational (Chris Tomlin, whose "We Fall Down" is covered here) despite that fact that, as his website puts it, "Ken may masquerade as a performer but at heart he's simply a lead worshipper." So in amongst God-directed tunes (like highlights "I Stand" and "John 4") we get Ken's meditation on his wife's beauty ("Mochaccino Dreams") and on seeking God's will in the midst of pain ("The Blackboard"). Fans of contemporary worship should register the name, check out 'Chalk' and watch for more from Ken in the future.

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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