Reviewed by Dancin' Dave Derbyshire

10 years ago Bart Millard wrote "I Can Only Imagine" in response to this father's early death. That song, of course, became a run away smash hit for the Texas-based band and now to celebrate the anniversary they have released this album of some of MercyMe's most popular songs. There are 15 solid tracks including three bonus cuts, one of which is another version of this song with the London Symphony Orchestra. There is also a DVD with a mixture of live recordings and music videos of the songs as well as a couple of documentaries that are mainly interviews outlining the band's career and explaining the background to the writing of "I Can Only Imagine". A number of the songs echo the themes of "I Can Only Imagine" by worshipping in amazement, reflecting on our mortality and/or lamenting the stresses of our life in the light of future glory. For instance, "Homesick" is another outstanding song on the album also dealing with bereavement and longing to see a departed loved one again. The only thing that stops '10' getting a 10 square review is that I felt that one or two of the songs teeter on the brink of sentimentality. Nevertheless, this album is a brilliant introduction to these country-tinged pop rockers.

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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