Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Here's the CCM star's return to pop albums after Smith's mega selling but for me disapointing live worship albums and I was hoping that it would knock me off my feet like some of his earlier pop material. No such luck! Generally 'Healing Rain' plods its pedestrian wet way through a collection of medium paced, perfectly crafted but ultimately dissatisfactory songs. Much of this is so throwaway that it blends itself into a morass of meandering soft pop musical blancmange. But it isn't all bad! The few highlights come from songs that he co-wrote with Martin Smith including the passionate opener "Here I Am" (the closest Michael comes to breaking into a sweat) and the pleading "Healing Rain" which rescue the album from the bin. There's also the beautiful lilting closing melody of the soaring worshipful "All I Want" which was also co-written with the other Smith. Elsewhere, it's a pedestrian disappointment as Michael W Smith hits autopilot and there's even a pointless cover version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

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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