Reviewed by Brendan O'Regan

The greatest strength of this eight-song project from a Manchester-based singer/songwriter is the deft hand he has at crafting catchy melodies. This is most obvious on "So Amazing" which also has the benefit of some excellent harmony singing from James Oldham and Lucy Kimmings. I also liked the memorable melody of "As I Look Upon The Cross" particularly when he gets to the refrain "This is how I know what love is." Most of the songs are written by Holloway, though not all feature Matt singing lead with Oldham and James Moss contributing leads on three and one songs respectively. However it's Matt Holloway on the lead mic on the standout track, John Newton's "How Sweet The Name", a beautiful acoustic version, again graced by the harmonies of Ms Kimmings. Holloway also seems inspired by Newton in his own song "It Was Your Grace". I've already mentioned the strength of Matt's melodies. Lyrically though the worshipful words too often fall into over-familiar images and phrases and I would suggest that more poetic imagination will be needed in the future. Also, the singing could at times be stronger and more confident.

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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