Reviewed by Tony Cummings

The next time one of those knock-the-cosy-sub-culture Christians sounds off to you about the stifling insularity of Nashville-run CCM, cite to him the case of Caedmon's Call. For in some ways this superlative band from Houston are America's Delirious?. No, they don't pay guitar-driven hook rock, a more delicate folk roots/rock synthesis is Caedmon's Call's direction. But, like Delirious?, this band have built up their huge US support base themselves, away from big record company help, touring around and releasing recordings privately that sold like the proverbial hot cakes. So when they finally went with a proper record company, the well-oiled Warner Bros marketing machine was able to ensure Caedmon's Call debuted at number one in the US CCM charts. It's an album worth its huge American success. Cliff Young has a memorable, husky emotive voice, not dissimilar to Jars Of Clay's lead man; their second lead Danielle Glenn has equally impressive pipes that convey a haunting vulnerability; the songs here are full of strong melodic hooks; their lyrics make spiritual points with considerable subtlety so that non-Christians as well as believers can relate to their haunting imagery; and the subtle blend of acoustic settings is beautifully caught by top engineer/producer Don McCollister. A fine, mature album you'll play for years to come.

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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