Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Seasoned New York singer/songwriter Jim Drew and his band Humble Soul have once again teamed up for a collection of blues and Americana-tinged songs that speak from the heart about matters of life, faith and everything in between. Proceedings kick off in bluesy fashion with "Here At The Crossroads" and, from the outset, Drew's voice is in great shape with his earthy vocals adding passion to tracks like the heartstring-tugging "Through Different Eyes" and the satisfyingly sprawling "What He Did"- the latter based around a familiar Matthew 25 passage. Elsewhere, guest vocalist Lisa Wallace-Smith lends a hand in the rocked up "The Damage Done" whilst some virtuoso sax, Hammond and lead guitar from Bill Tiberio, Alan Murphy and Jimmy Schelkun respectively add a touch of class throughout. The overriding theme of freedom hinted at in this release's title is touched upon in the likes of "Mother Freedom" and "Steppin' Outta The Game" and Drew is not afraid to make his political thoughts known in the no holds barred "What The Govern-meant". Throughout, Drew ensures that he underpins his material with the hope found through a relationship with Jesus and his ability to communicate this with sincerity and realism, along with a great performance from the man himself and his band, makes for a truly pleasing album.

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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