Reviewed by David Faulkner

From the Dictionary Of CCM Quotations: "Most Christian music is six years behind the times. The Bill Mason Band is only six months behind the times." (Bill Mason, circa 1979.) In the case of this 1995 recorded album, for six years read 15. Andrew Nicholson's synth-pop is Human League minus the girls, Soft Cell sans camp, Kraftwerk without irony. After continued playing in the car for a week I can vouch for the fact that four or five of Nicholson's 10 songs on this tape have decent hooks, but I just wonder who listens to this style today. Even the voice has echoes of Phil Oakley, down to the limited range and occasional flat note. The recent Human League comeback was short lived, and the addition of guitars for the live line up is unlikely to make this connect with a generation now being raised on the Chemical Brothers. I could have been proved wrong by the time this review appears: the band wa due to play at MAYC's Cornwall Calling regional event. But unless the Giorgio Moroder revival has begun west of the Tamar, I can't envisage Mixed Blessing's target audience.

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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