Reviewed by Paul Keeble

Amid a classy insert one credit: "Special thanks to my best friends and live band" rang alarm bells.  This usually indicates some other folks were used on the recording (in this case the surname Tubbs - playing, co-writing, producing - is credited 33 times in all.  Hmmm).  Result - competent but uninspired playing which, together with the at times toothless production (the big heavy finish on the title track is a Big Heavy Mess) means that at no point on this album does the music jump out of the speakers, grab you by the lapels and shout: "Oi! Listen to THIS!"  I just wonder how much of a difference it would have made if the musicians who play these tunes in front of real people had been able to put that feel onto this album. As for the one band member who did make it to plastic - Mr Lizotte himself - great voice, some good songs, notably "Gold", mixed with some unmemorable ones, and some fillers.  "You Know My Name" is a short worship chorus spun up to over five minutes - only Bryn Haworth gets away with that!  Overall?  Distinctly average.

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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