Reviewed by John Daniels

Frances Drost hails from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and this is the singer/songwriter and worship leader's third album. It packs a variety of styles into its 13 tracks, from the bright upbeat opening "Be Joyful" to the reflective "A Psalm Of The Free One". There is the irritatingly catchy "Wrong Things", the quirky "Personalities", "Free From The Inside Out" has gospel overtones and there's even an excellent instrumental "Never By Accident". With the obvious exception of the last mentioned, the lyrics are powerful, giving a realistic, but nonetheless encouraging, look at living the Christian life. "Bottom Of Grace" and "Bidder On The Heart" are particularly strong examples. Unfortunately, Frances is sometimes overwhelmed by the over fussy arrangement and "big" production. She doesn't have that "catch" in her voice that would truly do justice to the more rocky arrangements, but then she excels on the ethereal "A Psalm For The Free One". The album is worth the listen for the way it deals with topics rarely covered, God's grace when we fail, a return to innocence, and the change of perspective, which comes with maturity.

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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