Reviewed by Tim Cockram

According to the press release that accompanied this album Trace Balin has "a voice so unique that it demands atten­tion". That's quite a statement to live up to, but this time they might just be right. Her voice could be described as a hybrid of Amy Grant and Bonny (Lang-ford) Tyler, strange but true. The album takes some getting into - on first play it sounded all too like that "Contemporary Christian" speciality, badly beefed-up ballads with a few guitar licks so as to "reach the kids". But there really is much more to this set. What initially sounded like wimpy rock actually turns out to be a rather clever platform for Trace's voice and perhaps more importantly the lyrics go way beyond standard evange-speak. Although none of the tracks leap out and grab your attention there's a synergy that gives the album an appeal that is greater that the sum of the individual tracks.  Plus without getting heavy there's a real spirituality about these perform­ances. This is not an album for all occasions. I found that I was most receptive to it whilst driving to and from work, it soothed the soul rather than blasted the hassles and aggravations. Worth taking the time to get into.

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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