Reviewed by Andrew Rolfe

Here's another CD full of old hymns reworked - featuring talented solo artists on guitars (electric and acoustic), violin (acoustic only), trombone and piano (partly electrified) and oboe, cello and French horn (absolutely no electricity in sight anywhere). The solos are smooth and flow nicely, massaging your mind into a pleasant jellyness, melodically prodding the day's burdens away - exactly as the CD cover promises. The orchestra behind the scenes is okay. All in all the CD is well arranged. I was especially taken with the guitar plucking solos. "Saviour, Like A Shepherd Lead Us" is actually great and I'd buy the CD just for it, which incidentally, like all the albums in the series, is a mere £9.99. "Abide With Me" was also a highlight. However, I would have liked the music to abide with me for a little longer - with a hymn-length-average of a little over two minutes, these modernised hymns tend to cater for a 21st century attention span measurable only in seconds.

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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