Reviewed by Tim Goodall

Some festival goers may have seen California-based Chelsea at this year's Creation Fest. This is the singer's first album, released in 2010 and recorded with the band Uncle Daddy. It is an innovative attempt to breathe new life into often well known hymns, not by giving them a rock makeover but by immersing them in the sounds of bluegrass and Americana. The result is astonishing. With the recent spate of reinterpretations of hymns for new audiences, the fear can be that creativity runs low when artists attempt to ride high on a new wave. Not in this case. Moon's vocals are sublime throughout, delicate and powerful at the appropriate times, and with the backing of Uncle Daddy she has been able to give new life to the ancient hymnody. Most notable is "Come Thou Fount" which is cleverly arranged, and "Nothing But The Blood" which displays both Moon's and Uncle Daddy's creativity and ingenuity. Musically, Uncle Daddy do not let Moon down, gently supporting Moon's voice throughout and coming into their own on tracks like "Jesus Paid It All" and "When I Survey". They are not all old hymns, songs by Stuart Townend and Brooke Fraser get a look in here and the whole album flows with a clear purpose and direction. Recommended to all Americana and bluegrass fans and to those yet to discover the theological riches of hymnody.

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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