Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Debut album from 1997 from American songwriter Matt Jones who has a talent for writing poignant songs and dressing them up in what Americans call coffee house style. There are literally hundreds of American Christian songwriters ever wandering the coffee bars and church circuit playing their songs to the small crowds who come to hear. I doubt whether many are as good as Matt Jones! Totally unknown in the UK, both of his albums have come to our attention simultaneously here at Cross Rhythms Towers, so while his latest album has stronger leanings towards pop, this debut sees a slightly younger Matt working in more of an acoustic vein. Not as rootsy as Bebo Norman, these are well-constructed songs with plenty to say and simply arranged. He tells his stories and paints his word pictures well. "Me & Tommy" tells the story of a childhood friend who leaves the straight and narrow whilst the atmospheric title song recalls childhood games and dreams. Personally I love the vibe of songs like "Fly Away" with its dreamy lyrics and "Blue Moon" with its reminder that "life is hard, God is good". Overall it's gorgeously laid back, acoustic mellow poetry in which you can wallow while you drift away.

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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