Reviewed by Stephen Luff

It seems a growing trend in CCM to release compilations of well known artists doing versions of other people's songs. We have had 'No Compromise' (Keith Green's music) and 'Our Hymns'. Now 'Master Pieces' offers classic songs out of Benson's large back catalogue built up over the last 90 years. Actually, most of the songs here stem from the last 20 years of US Christian radio, songs like Don Francisco's "He's Alive", given here the Phil Collins drum treatment by Degarmo & Key (sounding excellent, especially loud!), Dallas Holm's "Rise Again", sung by slick harmonisers Glad, and "He Looked Beyond My Fault", performed here by country-gospel's Heirloom. There is also a great dance version of "I Go To The Rock" by Al Denson and Angelo And Veronica. What I feel lets the project down is that several of the reworkings of these great songs fail to reach the heights of the original recordings. Matthew Ward's version of "The Warrior Is A Child" for example doesn't get close to Twila Paris'. Still, here is a serious attempt at bringing these songs that have blessed people up to date and for that it is worth checking out.

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