Reviewed by Chris Tozer

Benyahu is the artist formerly known as Jason Porter, a one time lead singer of Se7en, an alternative/pop band from Kansas City in the mid-west States. Now cast very much in the mould of Prince and Lenny Kravitz, he has come with a fantastic debut album of original material, which really deserves a wide hearing on this side of the pond. The singer takes his new name from King David's chief bodyguard in the second book of Samuel. Although presumably a Gentile, Jason/Benyahu has clearly done his homework and has come up with a stunning set of songs that are drenched in a fusion of rock-alternative-soul with a messianic interpretation. For me the standout track has to be "Echo", which allows Benyahu to slow the pace and increase the cool. In similar vein "How Many Ways" seeks to paraphrase Psalm 137 for 21st century ears, whilst "Noise" exhorts the listener with reasons to be joyful - to the Lord. Other tracks may be heavier but the standard remains constant throughout. The only drawback is that it's all over and done within half an hour. 12 tracks in such a short time may have been the norm in the early '60s but surely not now. But, if you prefer quality before quantity and you and your friends into the music of Living Colour then make sure you don't pass this brilliant album by.

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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