Reviewed by Tony Cummings

As the editor of Cross Rhythms, my first inclination when I knew of this album’s forthcoming British release was to locate a Spanish-speaking reviewer (after all, I reasoned, there must be someone in the 120 or so members of the Cross Rhythms Reviewer’s Team who knows the language beyond “si senor”). But this is the UK, not the US. The only reason that this album – made to satisfy the demands of the increasingly significant Spanish-speaking section of the American Church – has received a British release is because there are enough Delirious? anoraks and completists in the UK who'll buy it despite not understanding the lyrics. So I put myself up for the job. Another reason Britain’s oldest d:boy feels qualified to comment is that as he comes from a church tradition where people fairly regularly talk or sing in tongues, I am quite familiar with worship in other languages. So what did I make of ‘Libertad’? I thoroughly enjoyed it. Bringing together all their best worship recordings on one coherent album is a strong move while taking off Martin’s original vocals in favour of Spanish ones does not seem to have diminished his gutsy passion one iota. I could quibble and say that one or two of the BVs, particularly on the choral bits, aren’t as good as the originals. And some awkward scanning and lack of rhymes occasionally mar such good recordings. But on the whole my heart was warmed to hear “Preparen el Camino” (“Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble”), “Cantaria Sin Parar” (“Happy Song”) and all the rest while Martin’s duet with Susana Allen on “Tuyo Es Mi Corazon” (“You Have Won My Heart”) is spine tingling stuff.

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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