Reviewed by Rob Worthington

As the title would have us expect, this is a collection of songs intended to fire and inspire us. In fact it goes a long way towards achieving that. This is an intriguing debut album which includes material written over a period of 10 years. First impressions are not so good though, this is partly because of Robin's unusual vocal phrasing and style and partly due to the complexity of some of the songs. After a while spent with the album, the musicality of the songs starts to emerge and the depth of much of the lyrics begins to impress. I particularly enjoyed the solo cello piece "Romance" and the unaccompanied song "Lifeline" which speaks of the lifelines the Lord extends to us in times of trouble which we need to reach out for and hold on to. (Coping with hard times is a theme of much of the album.) Certain of the tracks, for example "Into The Light", could benefit from a wider musical treatment and perhaps the use of an accompanying female vocalist. This album may not suit everybody's taste - especially those used to a more "formula' American approach. Nevertheless, I can recommend this to people of a more adventurous disposition.

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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