Reviewed by Alex Figgis

For the man who has fronted Guardian, one of the best loved Christian rock bands for over 10 years and who has, more recently, been offered a place in mainstream hard rock band Ratt, life has been pretty good for Jamie Rowe. Helped out by Tony Palacios (guitars/bass) and Carl Ney (drums), Jamie's debut project is pretty much in the vein one would expect. Tightly played, laid back rock and roll is the order of the day, with Rowe's distinctively rich, gritty vocals expressing songs of faith, hope and love. Though good, 'The Beautiful EP' does tend to be a little faint when it comes to the mix; giving the project a distinctive indie vibe, which is not altogether off putting. Mostly written in '98 and recorded by Palacios last year, Rowe's debut EP offers a glimpse into Rowe's future musical plans, and if such standards as the excellent ballad "Beautiful" and laid back charm of "Let It Go" is anything to go by, any fan of Rowe's work won't want to miss out!

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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