Messenger - Prisoner Of Hope/It Is Written

Wednesday 1st April 1998
Messenger - Prisoner Of Hope/It Is Written

STYLE: Rock
RATING 2 2
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 5458-5302
LABEL: Independent
FORMAT: CD Album

Reviewed by Tony Cummings

The fact that I follow Plymouth Argyle rather than Man U demonstrates that I'm a hardcore supporter of the underdog. And there's something stirringly Little Man Versus Big CCM Industry about this venture. Composer, instrumentalist, vocalist, engineer, producer Lionel De Leon gets in his home studio in Garden Grove, California and produces two albums (of which this double offers both) where well known texts from the NIV are transformed into pop rock numbers by the efforts of Lionel with the help of some musician friends. The CD is then mailed to 55 radio stations eventually getting a play or two in all manner of places from Knoxville Tennessee to Cork Campus Radio. After all that I feel a bit of a wet blanket to report that Messenger's music sounds under-rehearsed, the stretching of Scripture to fit into song metre produces numerous clumsy effects and Lionel isn't the greatest singer in the world. But that's the way it is. Sometimes for all the heart and vision, the need for creative excellence just gets left behind.

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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