Reviewed by Doug Holland

Rita Springer albums are not, on the whole, for the feint-hearted. Soaring vocals delivering very personal, emotion-soaked lyrics are the staple fare, and while 'I Have To Believe' does somewhat unusually for her contain several musical time-outs (notably the hymn "Oh God Of Mine" and the country-like story telling of "Those Were The Days") where the listener can recover their emotional breath, passion, urgency and all-out commitment are still the major ingredients on this 50-minute, 12-track CD. Springer is well known on the US conference circuit and further afield for ministry (especially women's) and worship, delivering both her own material and that of others. She contributes the majority of songs in this case, and from her dramatic opening stand-alone piano chord and declaration "I Have To Believe" onwards there is not much let up. The production applied to the material adds to the sense of urgency to the point where some songs border on the aggressive, and there is not much room for tenderness or humour in the music (although there is plenty of sensitivity in Springer's lyrics). What you do get is full-blooded statements of worship and faith that leave the listener in no doubt about what she believes Jesus has done and continues to do for her.

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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