Reviewed by Stella Redburn

Galilee Of The Nations has become the leading provider of Messianic worship music and this, their latest compilation, offers a wide sweep of their artists performing music which, with its mix of complex dance rhythms, exotic vocal lines and unusual sounds like the shofah or ram's horn, is a delightful alternative to the stereotypical sounds of much modern worship. A vital addition to Messianic worship's Hebraic folk roots is first rate contemporary production techniques so that here the listener is presented with music that is hard to resist. The lyrics are often written in both Hebrew and English while the catchy melodies and rhythms will stay with you long after you switch off your machine. The lyrics used are mainly from the Old Testament with praise of "Yeshua" throughout. One of the first bands to pioneer this type of music was '70s Jesus music group Lamb and the duo's co-founder, Joel Chernoff, kicks off this compilation with three of his songs. I just loved his "Come Dance With Me" with its completely irresistible rhythms. I was also particularly struck by the songs of Batya and Barry Segal and found Batya's beautiful honeyed voice gorgeous. Jonathon Settle tackles "Isaiah 53" and "Jerusalem Of Gold" and his rich vocals bring the full emotion out of his songs while the album ends with a version of "Hava Nagila", surely the best-known Hebrew melody in the world. Overall, this compilation is an excellent place to start your investigation of the Jewish roots of worship music.

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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