Reviewed by Paul S Ganney

Slowly but surely Glasgow's Royal Foundlings have been developing so that today some would claim they are the best Christian rock unit in Britain. Released in 2014 'Run' kicks off with the wonderful hook-driven "Give It Up", a track that shifts into a very tight synth/guitar solo. The band have overtones of punk (more Motors than Sham 69, though - especially frontman Dave Brackenridge who sings rather than growls), power pop (with synth lines that After The Fire would have been proud of), classic rock (the guitar, bass and drums locking together with supreme tightness - "You Alone" demonstrating this well), prog (with some Wakemanesque synth work on the song "Rise Up"), quirkiness (catch the intro to "Be Thou My Vision"), praise and worship (including two rocked-up hymns) and a good feel for how these songs will work live (the chorus in "Rise Up", for example). Lyrically the band are unashamed of their faith, working it into the songs as a whole rather than stopping to preach as they go. The worship numbers fit well in the CD due to the lyrical consistency and acting as lighter numbers helping the CD pace well. An excellent CD and one of the best UK albums I've heard in a long time.

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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