Ivor Hopkins - Heart To Heart

Thursday 1st February 2001
Ivor Hopkins - Heart To Heart
Ivor Hopkins - Heart To Heart

STYLE: Hymnody
RATING 6 6 6 6 6 6
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 3072-3655
LABEL: Independent
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1

Reviewed by Paul Davis

This is the CD debut of the popular UCB broadcaster, minister and singer. Culturally this leans on the Ira Sankey era but each worshipful song here is elegantly and simply crafted with an un-fussy, un-glamorised synthesiser/organ production. The unpretentious traditional enterprise frames the tender lyrics that Ivor sings into a strong but appropriate setting. Recently recorded, this is sadly a genre little used nowadays, a gentle, Victorian-flavoured ballad style of gospel music as it used to be. Ivor's engaging vocal is resplendent in traditional offerings unheard in so many years such as "Got Any Rivers You Think Are Uncrossable" and "That Man Of Calvary". The 16 tracks borrow heavily from a combination of Tony Fontane, Mario Lanza, Alan McGill and John Hanson styles of a generation past. Not to be missed if you like this kind of material. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection, particularly the older songs. Ivor's son, David, has excelled himself by providing very complimentary backdrops. The opener, the Graham Kendrick composition "Father Me" - a soon-to-be standard, sets the tone.

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