Reviewed by Brian A McAdie

Oh. Um er. Welcome to the latest episode in US CCM's obsession to create a rockin' version of George Frederick's finest, with Sandi Patti assembling the great and good for an album and tour; Carman, Bebe & Cece, Phil Keaggy, 4 Him, Twila Paris, Steven Curtis Chapman, Wayne Watson and many others. The album features excellent vocals, musicianship and production using modern and traditional instruments (and acappella singing), but unfortunately the whole is spoilt by musical cliches. Particularly annoying is the frequent use of screaming and yodelling to apparently simulate religious fervour. Sounding like a parody of live black gospel, it leads the listener to focus on the performer(s) and destroys the sense of transcendence that G F's original can deliver with the most amateur of singers. The album is partly released as a tour souvenir (with an advert in the liner notes for Young Messiah sweatshirts, baseball caps et al) and is successful if it is accepted as an album of competently performed pop and not as a lost opportunity. Now when do we get the rave Messiah?

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