Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Always had a soft spot for this American stadium rock combo, especially since I sang one of these greatest hits, the beautiful ballad "If You Could See What I See" to my wife Pip as she walked down the aisle to marry me! But pure sentimentality aside, if you've never checked out this band and you like AOR, you've been missing a treat and this is the best way to catch up. Melodic rock'n'roll pitched somewhere between Bryan Adams and Huey Lewis is mixed with a few more sensitive songs and there're some crackers here! "Life Together" has a punch-the-air chorus, "Evolution Re-defined" is an attack on Darwin's theories and great rock. Even when they mellow out on "The Vow" or "Listen To Our Hearts", Moore and his compatriots marry depth and melody. Even the stabs at a more dancy feel for "House Of Faith" or the new song "More Than Gold" manage to combine a groove with the band's more familiar rock feel. Their best songs are here combined with a live recording made for a CMTV live performance, which captures the band rocking in front of a huge crowd. Some songs are obviously repeated but here in a rawer live context. There's a good cover of Larry Norman's "Why Should The Devil" and plenty of fun. Not sure how the baseball metaphor of "Home Run" or the jingoistic "New Americans" translates over here but Britain has yet to appreciate what a good band Geoff Moore & The Distance have become in recent years!

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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