Reviewed by Philip Crawley

Wow - I felt like I'd fallen into a time warp and popped out in the early '80s - happy days when new wave rock ruled the radio. Bands like The Cars and The Vapours defined a sound that was as much about guitars as synthesisers. British Columbia-based OWB seem to know their new wave because they sound every bit as vital as those secular acts but have truly inspired lyrics. "Rich Young Ruler" is what you'd expect it to be about but manages to carry a Don Francisco feel and is my standout track. Although there seems to be something of a revival in the early '80s sound at the moment (The Kaiser Chiefs et al) I liked this CD not because of some novelty references to what I was listening to as a teenager but because they sing great anthemic Christian songs. Petra would be proud!

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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