Reviewed by Stephen Luff

Back in 2008, Jez Smith from Greater Manchester was a physically fit person. Then he was diagnosed with the rare Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which paralysed him from the neck down. With the support of friends, family and church, Jez has some recovery in his legs and can walk short distances. One of the biggest challenges has been rediscovering how to play guitar and now comes this largely guitar driven album. Vocally, 'Amazing Beauty' delivers an adequate but non-distinctive performance though the standard of the songs is better. "With This Love" for example has a catchy hook though others, such as "Walking In The Light" with a distinctly plodding beat, make it a difficult listen. The album's highlights are actually its bonus tracks. "Shine Your Light" is an uplifting song, while the excellent "The Lord's My Shepherd" with its electronic bagpipes is good fun. But overall the project doesn't quite hold together.

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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