Reviewed by Elliot Rose

'Emerging Voices' is the new album from the world renowned Jesus Culture, but the worship leaders presented here may not be so famous. Recorded live at the Civic Center in Redding, this 11 track record features four new singer/songwriters, Derek Johnson, Justin Jarvis, Nate Ward and Mary Kat Ehrenzeller, who take turns leading the passionate Californian congregation. First up is Justin, whose engaging melodies and lyrics in "Here We Are" and "Be My Love" outweigh his irritating voice. Although Derek's first number is slightly forgettable, he really does step up his game before belting out "Let It Go" and "You Are My God", and leading four of the 11 tracks he does seem to soak up the limelight on this album. Drawing the short straw is Nate, whose two songs are slightly overshadowed by his colleagues - though his contagious "Where You Are" is arguably the standout track on the disc. For me however, the highlight was the quirkier vocals of Mary Kat, her smooth tone complementing the gentle acoustic guitar in "Who Can Compare". 'Emerging Voices' demonstrates great potential which unfortunately was not unlocked fully for this album.

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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