Reviewed by James Stewart

Sammy Horner's taste for authentic Celtic imagery never seems to decline, and here we have the fourth in his popular Celtic Worship series. Sammy is joined here by a range of guests, including Vigilantes Of Love, Split Level's Adrian Thompson, Shona MacDonald and even his own daughter. The songs manage to convey energy through many changes of tempo, from the fiddle-driven opener, to the mandolin-led jigs and to the more contemplative rendition of Vigilantes of Love's 'Double Cure'. All the musicians are of the highest class, and while the songs jump around stylistically the production is consistently classy while retaining plenty of rootsy spirit. On each album in this series Sammy has chosen to highlight one feature of Celtic society and its relevance to the Gospel. On this outing it's the 'rath' or family enclosure, which is used as an image of the protection to be found in God's hands. Some may be tired of the never-ending stream of Celtic worship albums, but this one has a freshness that sets it apart from many of its more generic shelf-mates.

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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