Reviewed by Stella Redburn

The Keswick Convention, the annual gathering of evangelical Christians who meet in the Lake District, has been going since 1875. In each of its three weeks it uses a worship leader, hence the three featured here: Steve James, Stuart Townend and Colin Webster. They offer versions of several traditional hymns. Stuart Townend covers "Amazing Grace" (folky feel), "Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus" (no nonsense military) and "Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah" (a really feel-good reggae version) and Steve James does "Be Thou My Vision" (Celtic feel, of course) and "When I Survey" (Chris Tomlin's version). Other songs come from a variety of sources, and I would classify them as hymns (old and new), rather than worship songs. Colin Webster has himself written three of them: "The Love Of God", "O My Soul Arise And Sing" (I loved Dave Abbott's sax on these two) and "Come Praise And Glorify" which has a Celtic sound and features some cool electric guitar from Dan Johnson. Townend's "Hear The Call Of The Kingdom", co-written with Keith Getty, is a particular standout while the congregation clearly loves Stuart's "Vagabonds", too, with its bar-room "come-ye-all" atmosphere.

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