Reviewed by Tony Cummings

With seemingly hundreds of churches, mega and middle size, taking the opportunities offered to them by new technology and the internet to record and release albums of their worship music, it takes a special church-origin release to catch the attention. This one from a Hastings fellowship linked to the NewFrontiers stream does so wonderfully. Firstly, producers James McMillan and Aled Cousins clearly sifted through their songs to find eight which really stand up in comparison to the Redmans, Hillsongs and Tomlins. Secondly, they've wisely chosen to plump for a studio recording rather than a live production which is undoubtedly the best platform to present new material to the wider Church. And thirdly, the church is blessed in having three lead vocalists with excellent, expressive voices and Joanna Thurston, Caner Mutu and Aled Cousins all sound like they have sufficient vocal talent to carry off solo projects. Ms Thurston's voice in particular is truly striking and her brittle, poignant vocal on "Found In You" makes it a recording which will get any listener reaching for the repeat button while the arrangement and production - with its deft touches of what sounds like a celeste and the use of digital delay on the end of the hooklines "Faithful and true, you are love/Rest for my soul, you are love" - is beautifully judged. But there are plenty of other good things here. The opener "All I Have" has a winsome lilt and uses a snatch of this reviewer's favourite lines of Scripture ("Perfect love that drives out fear"). Then there's "Here's My Life" given a daringly simple arrangement with acoustic strum and handclaps and this too quickly registers. I could quibble that 'Found In You' only gives Joe Punter eight songs but even here producers McMillan and Cousins have resisted the temptation to chuck in a couple of filler songs and instead offer an acoustic version of "All I Have" and a remix of "Found In You". The unexpected dance groove addition to the latter works well too. A fine album deserving to be heard far beyond Hastings' town boundaries.

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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