Big Tent Revival - Amplifier

Thursday 1st October 1998
Big Tent Revival - Amplifier
Big Tent Revival - Amplifier

STYLE: Rock
RATING 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 5201-1637
LABEL: Forefront 8251862
FORMAT: CD Album
RRP: £15.31

Reviewed by Joel Lewis

Newsflash! BTR carve out a new rocked up sound for themselves! We kick off on this album with an excellent cover of Brent Milligan's "Still Breathing" (previously recorded on the 'One Point Oh' compilation). The rest are by the band's own Steve Wiggins and do not lower the standards. "Lovely Mausoleum" examines the way people hide the emptiness with a false exterior. "Wouldn't It Be Cool" is a lot deeper than it's title suggests. They mellow out a little on a couple of songs, but the overall feel is somewhat like a whirlwind locked in a box - ready to blow the lid off at any moment! Which is exactly what happens on the last four tracks. In the four (yes, four) "hidden" tracks the CD nearly leaps out of the deck with the sheer energy they exude! In a marvelous touch of irony, they are actually the best tracks on the album. Rockier and free from the slightly over produced feel of the others. In them, Steve roundly slams religious legalism, finger pointing critics and gives his very definite views on those who think they will be able to argue with God's final judgement. If this is the new sound of BTR, I am all for it. Since this is also an AVCD, those of you with PCs will be able to view the video for their hit single "What Would Jesus Do?". Brit pop it's not, but a smouldering slab of rock and roll it is. Value for money, too - what more could you ask?

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Sample Track Listing:
9. What Would Jesus Do? [Listen]

This track data is supplied by the Cross Rhythms CD/DVD review library. Please note that CD tracks may vary according to release region or product version.

Reader Comments

Posted by Don in state of Delaware @ 17:39 on Dec 6 2013

The group's third release does not disappoint, released in late March of 1998. The group is now a 5 man band with newcomer keyboardist David Alan.
This cd contains the highly praised "known phrase" song, "What Would Jesus Do?"; I also have the video. I'd like to also mention this cd has over 1 hour of ccm. Awesome lyrics to "Lovely Mauseleum".
I totally love "Someday (time & space"; has a chorus that sticks wtg Steve! Another "Jimmy" song for ccm, several artists have songs about a Jimmy to include Steven Curtis Chapman, who can forget the now unheard Brian Barrett's popular "Jimmy Got Saved".
The song "Psalm 72" wasn't quite my expectations for a pslam song. I like the song, but it may have faired better with only acoustic beauty. Former Ragamuffin band member Jimmy Abegg was the photographer for the cd; would've liked to see group photos unblurred. After the songs is a track 11 that has interviews of the group heard. 4 more bonus songs follow, "Real Thing", "Rivalry", "West Memphis Lawyer" & "Come On People". Unfortunately the lyrics to these songs were omitted from inside pamphlet. God bless, Don



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