Reviewed by Karl Allison

A giant step forward for Salvation Army songster brigades, if only a relatively inconsequential release for the rest of Christendom. Our uniformed brothers and sisters have always achieved a prodigious output, but a strong subculture mentality ensured years of increasingly insular music-making. This album may just buck the trend. The brigade who worship at the Salvation Army's impressive premises in Oxford Street has finally made something that is worshipful and solidly musical. At last, an album with arrangement and orchestration strong enough to showcase the prolific writing talents that the movement has always been blessed with. Using strings and brass and percussion may not seem such radical ideas, but then you may not have sat in as many Salvation Army services as I have! They still have further to travel. The overall sound and the contemporary vocal style can still be improved in places, but it's still a bold and imaginative release. If I were only comparing it to other SA releases, it would score about 15! But for Cross Rhythms readers, I'II just give it...

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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