Reviewed by Giles D Morrison

Nigel Pybus has written an album of songs which draws upon the harmonies and styles of Scotland to produce worship which is fresh, relevant and dynamic. The title track "Vow Of Praise" would be at home in any band setting, yet the songs also drop down to "Holiest Place", an acoustic number. This is a collection of songs to which the (overused) term "Celtic" worship is valid. I am also reluctant to use the term "folk rock" and I suspect Nigel wouldn't thank me either, because, like "Celtic" worship, overused terms can lose their meaning. This album is a great deal more than that. The songs have been written in St Andrew's, Fife, and based upon Nigel's life and experience as a worship leader in Scotland, but the songs and concepts within them speak to all of us. The integration of traditional and contemporary instruments and voices is very powerful. The songs cover the whole range of expression found in church life, both in subject and musical style. This is an excellent worship album, one of the best I have heard recently. It has the most important quality of worship for me: it is written out of a heart devoted to God and attempts to make explicit the inexpressible relationship we enjoy with God.

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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