Reviewed by Chris Tozer

There seem to be two kinds of instrumental albums being produced by Christian music companies - those that uplift and those that are merely played in lifts. Ever since Sparrow Records responded to the first wave of new age albums back in the mid-'80s with their superb collection of Meadowlark recordings by the likes of John Michael Talbot and Richard Souther we have been blessed with some superb albums. Innovative arrangers such as Phil Keaggy and Tom Howard have imaginatively interpreted much sung worship melodies in the same way that Van Gogh transformed the familiar night sky into an unforgettable Starry Night. Not so long ago I reviewed a brilliant Kingsway album entitled 'Instrumental Worship' that showed that the flame kindled by Meadowlark is still burning. 'Praise Him: Piano' features the same musicians and arrangers featured on 'Instrumental Worship' yet might be destined for the elevator. With a mix of metaphors I'd say that this new recording doesn't quite get off the ground. The performances are immaculate and the repertoire of chiefly recent British worship songs has been well chosen but to my taste several of the arrangements are too laid back. "Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble" fails to move and "Jesus Is The Name We Honour" lacks the mood of the lyrics. The cool jazzy feel and tinkling ivories of "We Fall Down" are unlikely to move the listener to follow suit. That said the superb arrangement of "When Love Came Down" is a most highly redeeming feature that raises the star rating single-handedly. Anyway, one man's lift music can still be another man's blessing. See for yourself.

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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