Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

This debut album from pianist and songsmith Jim Radford is rooted in Scripture and offers a refreshingly intuitive take on Bible stories such as the bluesy "Cain And Abel" and the thought-proving depiction of Jesus' reaction immediately after the Fall "What Adam's Done". The latter track begs to have a musical built around it on account of the song's Broadway-like qualities. Whilst Radford's voice may lack the grit to pull off the more blues-orientated numbers, he delivers each song with sincerity and passion whilst showcasing a vocal range that he thankfully puts to the test throughout this largely melody-driven release. To keep proceedings fresh, Radford straddles a variety of different styles from the jazz-tinged title track to a Southern gospel adaptation of Charles Wesley's "And Can It Be (That I Should Gain)" whilst the Rich Mullins-like "Sons And Daughters Of The Kingdom" showcase the man's piano skills to good effect. Bearing more than a passing resemblance to a certain Randy Newman Toy Story song, "Take His Hand" closes an enjoyably eclectic release in style.

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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