Reviewed by Gareth Hills

Songsmith Brian Houston has been making music for several years now, and this is a reissue of his debut album from 1994. Upon finishing the first track, one might be surprised to hear that Brian hails not from the Mississippi delta but from Northern Ireland, such is the Elvis-like swagger of his voice. The squelchy Rhodes which punctuates the gentle guitar work on "Love Like A Tide" could be straight out of an early Kool And The Gang record. Brian's ability to gather together musical strands from across the spectrum, and season them with his own heartfelt, accomplished lyricism, is a testament to his skill as a musician. Truly an artist that sings about the world around him, both pain and joy included, he touches on several difficult themes, including racial and religious tension in "Love Like A Tide", and the altar-and-the-door syndrome of "Jesus Again", but leaves ample room for lighter songs such as the giddy, high school musings of the title track. I admired Brian's courage in taking on the hard-hitting issues that he does and crafting them into beautiful vignettes, and unlike the title of the album, you won't find yourself crushed under their weight.

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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