Reviewed by David Faulkner

Dang! I'd already voted for Robert Plant's Band Of Joy as my favourite release of the year in Mojo magazine's annual poll before I played this CD because this slice of Americana bears favourable comparison with any album I heard, secular or Christian, in all of 2010. If you didn't know, The Redemption Center are session-seasoned American musos J Stephen Smith and Jesse Sprinkle (Dead Poetic, Demon Hunter). They've created a gem, one moment you have the humour and faith of Lost Dogs. The next you hear echoes of the melancholic hope characteristic of Bill Mallonee's Vigilantes Of Love. There are touches of Steve Earle's acoustic humanity and social conscience. Overlaying it all, one hears Jayhawks-like jangling guitars, harmonies and memorable melodies so that just as one track becomes a favourite, its successor takes over. "I'm Afraid Of You" puts lyrics from the late, great Mark Heard (first published in the Hammers & Nails biography) to music. "The Boy Who Shed His Skin" tells the story of a young man, Jonny Kennedy, who suffered from a horrific genetic disorder. The title cut asks - á là early 1970s Graham Kendrick - how much we think we are worth in redemption. Moreover, purchases of the CD support Music With A Meal Deal, a project in New York State to feed nutritious meals to the hungry. My only problem is extracting the disc in order to review my other assignments. Recommended without the slightest hint of reservation.

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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