Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

More than simply a band with a CD, White Collar Sideshow have a unique ministry reaching out to people who struggle with pornography. They are an on the road live show that mixes theatre, costume, furious music and an uncompromising message which is tackling an important subject head on. This release is a mix of things so you get a disc of visuals and a disc of music so that you get a taste of what they're doing. It is radical and crazy and so unusual that it's been impacting people who have seen it in an extremely powerful way. Listening to the CD is a haunting experience in itself because these aren't songs in themselves. Instead you get tribal drumming and a stripped down musical backing which is evocative rather than what you'd traditionally expect from a band. Of course, there are no "songs" as such. Instead any words you hear are samples from films and TV shows, it seems mostly old horror films. And then those words seem to work in a metaphorical way when added to the action of the stage show. It's very left field. I've tried playing this stuff on the radio and it really is "out there" but then, that's good, right? White Collar Sideshow challenge the issues that have been swept under the carpet or ignored and they do it in a way that is creative and impossible to ignore.

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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