Reviewed by Tony Cummings

During their heyday Yorkshire's Eden Bridge turned out many albums for the British and American Christian music market (the latter having discovered that if hymns and worship songs could be rendered with an Irish folk flavour and some bodhrans, uillean pipes or tin whistles to give it a little authenticity then they could be marketed with impressive results with the enticement to buy on the album sleeve not being the name of the artist but the word "Celtic". So keyboard playing record producer Richard Lacy found himself in the strange position of having the albums he turned out with his musician friends, sometimes instrumental, and some like this one featuring the beautiful clear toned voice of his wife Sarah. 'Celtic Worship 2' features wonderful moments: haunting renditions of Brian Doerksen's "Refiner's Fire", her own song "Sarah's Prayer" and Leslie Phillips' "Not By Might (By My Spirit)" are all top rate. From the opening Vineyard Music oldie "I Will Change Your Name" to the closing, equally evocative "When Grace Abounds" co-written by David Bird (who plays some wonderful 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars throughout this set), this is glorious music eminently suitable for soaking in the presence of God. 'Celtic Worship 2' is a neglected, worshipful masterpiece.

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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