Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

If Being Joan's 'Why So High' radio hit won you over you might want to investigate this, the 11 song debut from Scottish singer/songwriter Being Joan - real name Joan Piacentini. It is an incredibly strong effort considering the fact that it was recorded and produced on a shoestring. Written and recorded within a fortnight using samples from a Playstation to amazing effect, Piacentini shows that she is able to write radio-friendly material with the opener "Life's Good" being the obvious hit in the collection. For the most part, Piacentini adopts a delightfully minimalist approach - reminiscent of the better side of '80s synth pop - and numbers such as "Lonely Road" showcase her ability to skillfully construct not only a song but a distinctive sound for each track whilst unreservedly pointing towards Christ as the answer to life's problems. Although Piacentini's obvious strength is her soulful voice, the instrumentals "Not Sure", "Driving" and "The Christians Are Coming" also highlight her skills as a composer as well as a willingness to go out on a limb artistically. Never one to shy away from some direct evangelism in her music, Piacentini challenges the listener to accept God in "Who Owns Your Heart" and "The Way The Truth The Life" - the latter closing the first chapter in what will hopefully be a long and fruitful recording career for this talented artist.

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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