Reviewed by Sarah Richards

Opening with the catchy, jazz infused "How High Is The Sky", Chapman's latest album, nine years after his first, looks like a promising purchase. Moving between the more pacy, up-beat songs and a slower, more acoustic sound, 'Hiding Place' has a good mixture of songs, catering to a variety of musical tastes. Standout tracks include "Sacrifice", transitioning beautifully from its ambient introduction into the melodic rocky chorus, and "Where Could I Go", another jazzy track with a strong melody, showcasing Chapman's guitar and song writing abilities. With the gospel choir backing vocals, this track is perhaps the strongest of them all. Whilst musically adept, my only comment would be that, like the previous album reviewer, I was not massively over awed by Chapman's voice. During the more upbeat songs this wasn't an issue as his voice blended in and amongst the multiple instruments and sounds. However, when it came to some of the slower, more acoustic songs, his voice was much more prominent and, regrettably, seemed out of place. Overall, this is a well-written and produced second album with the high points tending to coincide with the livelier tracks.

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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