Reviewed by Chris Tozer

The Deal Trade & Media Corporation International seeks to promote a wide range of mainstream pop artists in their native Belgium. These range from Betty, a star of the Flemish version of Big Brother, to Dana Sana - Brussels' answer to Jamie Cullum, as well as the delightfully named Marys Boys Band from Bulgaria. Like most musicians they're all trying to make it big in the pop world. But the album covers and on-line biography of their stable mate Karl-Heinz Colonerus, who has released this album under the name Davar, stand for something rather different. He writes about being "faithful to Christ" and how he composed Christian songs for Marys Boy Band during a 950-mile cycling pilgrimage to Medugorje in Bosnia. His first album 'Running Over' was only released in 2005 yet already here is the follow up, a charity record in aid of Belgium's homeless people. The title of this second offering is 'Dabar' - the Hebrew for 'Divine Word' - and the CD comprises of a variety of worship songs, though chiefly from the '70s and early '80s. Most of the songs are in either French or German but four tracks have English lyrics. These include soulful renditions of "How Great Is Our God" and "Bless The Lord Oh My Soul" plus an incongruously jaunty version of "I Have Decided To Follow Jesus". Many of the songs feature French and German lyrics to old Songs Of Fellowship material such as "I Love You Lord", "Thine Be The Glory" and "Blessed Be The Lord God Almighty". Sadly this focus on older material and the simplistic keyboard arrangements recall the best forgotten Sunday School singalong tapes we used to get from Nashville. Hopefully Karl-Heinz's third album will concentrate on the current century. Meanwhile he deserves praise for promoting worship material in a decidedly secular environment - and all in a very good cause.

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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