Reviewed by Simon Eden

To suggest that the West Country's Lumia Bwire is a Bob Dylan fan may be an under-estimation. Although only track two "To Ramona" is a Dylan cover, all the other tracks comprise acoustic ballads clearly in Dylan's acoustic folk style, including track six "Mr Dylan Sir". Considering Dylan was such a remarkable poet, to follow his style is a difficult feat to achieve; however, Lumia's lyrics are intricately woven. "The Martyr Song" contains what are possibly the strongest lyrics ever in Christian song. The song compares between an arrogant, cowardly, Satan-serving suicide bomber and the courageous, forgiving martyrdom of Christ who truly followed God's will. Although eight of the 10 tracks are penned by Lumia, the surprise is the cover of Michael W Smith's "Above All" which is very different in feel to the original. With a voice comparable to Tracy Chapman and complex acoustic folk guitar work, the style is well suited to intimate live performance. The tribute to "Heroes" such as Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Bob Marley and Mother Africa set a cultural tone in what is a well thought out reflective compendium of expression.

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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