Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Nick Breakspear Jones is unique in the whole firmament of Christian music. While swathes of musicians are content to strum guitars in stereotypical worship or ape-the-secular in formulaic rock, Nick starts from a completely different place, that of the prophet. He walks with God, waits until his heart explodes with words and concepts, and then endeavours to encapsulate them in musical forms that are accessible to Joe Punter. To aid him in this endeavour, Nick then calls on some of the best musos you'll find in Britain to record, and occasionally gig, under the Breakspear moniker. Nick's long time musical compatriot is Matt Wanstall, whom seasoned CCM devotees will know is the studio wizard behind many a brilliant project (he produced some of the tracks on the World Wide Message Tribe's 'Frantik' album for instance). For those insisting on a pigeonhole, you might want to describe the music here as "funky Messianic pop" but even that wouldn't entirely communicate the full effect created by Nick's harsh, somewhat unmusical voice and deftly constructed rhythms and arrangements. If all this sounds a bit daunting, it isn't. One of this album's gentler moments, the stirring "Lead Me To Jesus" has already been picked up for airplay on Cross Rhythms inspirational sister station, UCB Europe, while the more gritty cuts here have lyrics which bite home with all the scalpel-like precision of the true prophet. Don't buy this album if you want musical predictability or lyrics that simply recycle tried-and-tested religious platitudes. Do buy this album if you're prepared to be challenged.

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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