Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

There are few worship leaders who successfully marry excellent song writing with expressive guitar playing and plaintive vocals but then there are not many worship leaders like Marc James. In a world where worship music has become copycat dull, it's refreshing to get something fresh, spiritually alive and cliché free. So many worship leaders feel they have to follow the worship "sound" while losing their own musical personality in the process. I always loved the blues rock and energy of Marc's band Verra Cruz and there are elements of that music which translate well into this release. It's a joy to hear some of Marc's slide work here and there especially on the gentle "All In All". Unlike many bland worship albums, the musicality here really adds to the songs whether it's the rock beat of "I Worship You Now" or the infectious vibe of the opening cut, co-written with Brenton Brown, "Satisfy My Soul". His passionate lyrics include elements of the spontaneous in some places in a fashion which reminds me of Kevin Prosch at his peak. To these ears, the absolute highlight on an album of highlights is "Father (Sound Of Rushing Waters)" whose lyrics are echoed by the sound of a number of vocals tumbling out like the waters. When so much worship these days feels mindless and superficial, here's an album whose conviction and passion stir the soul. If you want well crafted, thoughtful songs and some "proper" music, grab hold of this!

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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