Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Sydney-based songstress Merise has established herself as one Australia's top Christian artists and, going by this 2010 release, it's easy to see why. Kicking off with a cheeky borrow of the string part from Colin Blunstone's seminal hit "Say You Don't Mind", the album's opener "Just Because" sets the scene for a collection of numbers that showcase Merise's easy going vocal style and an innate pop sensibility that ensures her songs stick in the mind after just one listen. The album's overriding theme of positivity is carried through in the ukulele-driven "You'll Never Know" and the breezy title track but Merise balances this mood with a fine line in mild melancholy in the likes of "Where It All Began" and "Anything To You" which thankfully never come across as naval-gazing or take away from the overall feel good nature of this release. Her Christian faith is quietly referenced in the likes of "Why Oh Why" and the tenderly magnificent "Sorrow" which cap a stunning release from this supremely talented artist.

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