Reviewed by Peter Bate

Trading Standards alert: A self-proclaimed collection of “cool praise songs” which is anything but. Containing no new tracks, this compilation gives a bad name to Christian dance pop music. The tracks are culled mostly from albums at least two years old which try hard to jack up choruses like “Hosanna” (please – do you think we are too young to have missed this first time round?), “Over The Mountains”, “More Love, More Power” and “Hungry (Falling On My Knees)”. It’s not that “Say It Loud” doesn’t have a sassy gospel groove or that Peter Wilson’s vocals aren’t passionate on “I’m Learning To Love You”. But most of the beats shamelessly ape ‘90s chart dance fodder. Alliance may kid 40 something youth leaders who think these Europop efforts are the best thing since Carman, but any teenager who tunes into Radio One wouldn’t touch this with a barge pole. Must try harder.

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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