Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Regular Cross Rhythms readers will know that we've often criticized Christian companies for their inadequate packaging/sleeves when re-issuing worship music. To our minds it's not adequate to simply indicate the name of a song and the composer and Joe Public should be told the names of the singers of the songs. If ever there was a case of shoddy packaging being so poor that it risks misleading the public, one needs to look no further than this 30-song two CD set. The tracks here are in fact a compilation of recordings originally issued under the series name Songs Of Taize. In case you don't know, Taize is a Christian community of Protestants and Catholics long renowned for their chants and songs composed by Jacques Berthier (1923-1994). Down the years the Community themselves have released numerous albums under the name Taize. Berthier's songs are simple, often folk-tinged and were originally sung in English, French or Latin. All of them have a reverential haunting quality and the original Taize recordings, now available on numerous CDs, have an intense atmosphere of real worship despite being sung by untrained voices. Back in 1994 the old Kingsway Music company started a series of albums, Songs Of Taize, offering new renditions of the songs. The first volume featured a choir put together by Maggi Dawn; Vol 2 featured versions by the Scottish Festival Singers conducted by Ian McCronie; and Vols 3, 4 and 5 were recordings made with the Paul Leddington Wright Singers. They were all given pretty favourable Cross Rhythms reviews at the time of release. The 'Simply Taize' compilation of these worship covers sounds pretty good and be it Taize's most famous song "O Lord Hear My Prayer", sung in haunting acappella produced by Dawn, or the more cathedral choir sounds of Leddington Wright heard on "Prepare The Way" and "Surrexit Dominus Vere", the effect is elegantly reverential if lacking the atmosphere of the Taize Community versions. What is utterly confusing is putting these tracks from the Songs Of Taize series on a compilation in another series (the Simply series has already released 'Simply Hymns', 'Simply Worship', 'Simply Worship Instrumental') and make no mention of their source. Let's hope it was never the label's intention but a 'Simply Taize' tag which will surely mislead casual browsers into thinking they're getting the Community versions.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.