Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

For the final part of his Psalms-inspired trilogy of albums, Oxfordshire songwriter Matt Searles focuses in on certain psalms that recognise the battered and bruised condition of the soul whilst offering up the kind of hope that can only be found in God. Fittingly given the subject matter, there is an underlying brooding feel to proceedings with the opening track - the delightfully organic and sombre "Lord, Hear My Prayer" - setting the scene for a collection of pieces that refuse to simply pay lip service to the feelings found in the heavier psalms but breathe new life into those most ancient and relevant of texts. With all but one track written by Searles, he hands instrumental duties over to a talented band that includes the project's co-producer Jamie Sczebel and they succeed in offering up a fluid and inventive backdrop that suits Searles' songs down to the ground. Interestingly, vocal duties are covered completely by female singers - subconsciously affirming the suggestion that women are more in touch with their feelings, perhaps - and the fragile and completely captivating performances on the piano-led "Be Exalted, Lord" and "My Soul Finds Rest" by Alanna Glover and Rebekah Tubbs respectively are especially striking. Where the previous instalment didn't quite take enough risks, this release has just the right amount of experimentation to allow Searles' work to stand out from the myriad of other Psalms-inspired collections on the market.

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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