Reviewed by Tony Cummings

A musical.but much more. What Phil Baggaley, the creative driving force behind this stunning project, demonstrates, is that great art requires something transcendent, something beyond the total sum of its parts, for greatness to be achieved. Not that the elements here are exactly base metal. Those years with Phil And John have clearly demonstrated Phil Baggaley can craft a song hook; Adrian Plass, though maybe a tad overrated on the comedy front, is a marvellous poet in Betchamanesque mode; Mal Pope is an expressive rock-edged singer, good enough to tour with Art Garfunkle; Neil Costello, surely one of Christendom's most consistent producers, excels himself here; David Fitzgerald, seemingly the best horn-man in Christendom; and on it goes. But it still needed the hand of the Lord to lift this musical, which will be touring the UK in 1998, to greatness. Maybe for you the idea of a Christian musical still conjures up slightly embarrassing memories of Come Together. Maybe you've never really rated Phil And John. Maybe you are so into rock that an album of contemporary pop, with some roots music elements, simply doesn't appeal. Or maybe the thought of a musical/concept album, based on the theme of Heaven, fills you with apprehension. But this is more than a concept album, it's a breathtaking work of art with all the power to heal, comfort and envision.

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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