Reviewed by Trevor Kirk

I'm always on the lookout for material from the Sally Army that's a little more up-to-date than the venerable recordings by the International Staff Songsters that I've played on Hospital Radio for yonx.  Recently it's been mainly the lady singers who've put stuff out, notably Deryn Edwards and Kayte Harding Chestney, so when I saw this budget price CD in Woollies, featuring the Ilford Songsters, the Chelmsford Citadel Singing Company and the Cambridge Heath Band, I thought I'd buy it to see what it was like; at £5.99 I couldn't' go wrong.  The value-for-money factor is good (20 tracks and 55 minutes); unfortunately, some of the tracks check in at under two minutes each, which is disappointing.  It's basically standard Army fare with a few good arrangements and five all-band items, but one track stands out for me, a setting by Canadian composer and arranger Dick Krommenhoek of words from Isaiah 53.  The singing is okay if a little ragged in places (particularly the Chelmsford folks, sadly), and the band oompahs to good effect.  Mid-price, mid-quality and a mid-table square rating, but it has its moments.

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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