Reviewed by Tony Cummings "I am awake, I am alive/Caught in your gaze, found in your eyes" goes the first words of this live album by RVL CRV, recorded at the thriving Revival Fires church in Dudley, West Midlands. Revival Fires have been going for years but it was only last year that their worship team released their first album (though one of their worship songwriters/singers, Ryan Baker Barnes, released a good album in 2012). So what of this batch of modern worship anthems? After that outstanding opener "Awake", other lyrics on 'RVL CRV' are much more stereotypical. (A chorus: "Come Holy Spirit, come Holy Spirit/Come Holy Spirit/Breathe on me.") But with a couple of good female singers, some catchy guitar hooks and a pulsing synth and drum groove on "Open Arms", and with Jonny Bird (Martin Smith, Matt Redman) handling the mix, the whole project has a rich enveloping sound. I don't think that this album contains a song with that certain something to take it to national, let alone international, popularity. But then, that seemingly wasn't something being aimed for by the collective. In a note to Cross Rhythms, Ryan Baker Barnes wrote how the singers and musicians were "laying aside the solo projects to build with community, being intentional about relationship in songwriting and redefining our view of success." I've no doubt that the songs here have touched and envisioned the Revival Fires congregation. As far as I'm concerned, that's success.
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