Reviewed by Tom Lennie

Mark Miller is currently Worship Arts Pastor of Coastal Community Vineyard Fellowship in Wilmington, North Carolina. He previously took part in the Cities Vineyard 'Fatherland' release (a free tape of which is included in the price of this offering) and has been producing a new venture with other young Vineyard worship leaders. 'Threshing Floor', Mark's debut solo release, is an independent project, but in no way suffers from that. The arrangements here are simple and uncluttered, resulting in an overall sound of clarity and acoustic beauty. An obvious and justified comparison would be with Darrell Evans. Certainly there is a similarity in sound and style, but this album is of an overall less rocky nature than Evan's output, and in no way comes across as an imitation. All songs were written by Mark, songs given to him during times of personal devotion. They express deep intimacy and raw emotion. Check the uncompromising lyrics of the opener "Threshing Floor" for example, or the attitude of utter availability to God shown in the delicate "Here I Am". Many songs have an upbeat rootsy sound, eg, "Reaching Up To You", with it's gutsy organ sound care of Greg Hjelle; or the irreverently titled "Hey God" (not the Lincoln Brewster composition of the same title). Others travel at a gentler pace, though none could be classed as easy listening, they're far too response-demanding for that. I mean, who can listen to the exquisite "Living Hope" without wanting to fall down on one's knees in thankful worship? All tracks work well, and any one could be specifically highlighted, including the hidden bonus offering. This is a beautifully crafted album, once again giving evidence to the freshness and creativity to be found in many young worship musicians. Good photography too.

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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