Reviewed by Martin I Smith

With 'Witness' this Scottish songwriter has pulled together a collection of modest yet well written modern country rock songs. The 10 cuts that make up the disc share G J Lovie's testimony of his conversion, told in a quaint, story-telling manner, and sure enough the song titles indicate the kind of thoroughly Christian experience that the lyrics deliver. The album is definitely a humble journey; the dynamics never too sporadic, nor the vocals too daring - just simple guitar work complimented by a resoundingly warm, honest and genuinely capable voice. Songs like "Tear Down These Walls" demonstrate Lovie's ability to write an appetisingly catchy chorus. However the songwriting, while solid, never fully satisfies the listener's hunger; there's always a sense of constraint and safety within the songs' passages. "Truth And Light" shows a glimpse of a more experimental shade of Lovie's expression, straying into electronic-based drum beats during the intro but nothing that breaches the artist's pop structure style of writing. 'Witness' is not a pioneering work by any means, but, true to itself, it is a sincere, honest and genuinely enjoyable experience.

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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