Reviewed by Tony Cummings

The lady who delivered those goosebump-inducing vocals on Bethel Music's "Reckless Love", "King Of My Heart" and "Pieces" here offers her second solo album. Have no doubt about it, Steffany is an emotionally affecting singer and, since her first solo album 'Out Of Hiding', has found a new confidence in God's deliverance and power which shines through these songs. The opener "Save Me" has powerful lyrics ("My weakness is my honour not my shame/Leaning is my portion not my pain/I was frantic till you changed the pace/You don't give me more than I can take"), and with its thunderous drums and interlocking synths is a top rate anthem which will surely be sung in many churches. Equally good is the title track final song which is a strident pop rocker with Steffany pronouncing "You can't turn out a light shining from the inside." In an interview, the singer suggested that 'Blackout' referred to the spiritual equivalent of the gag-orders that governments or media might impose on us so that we only get part of the story. We believers know what governments and mass media don't tell us, that God is the light of the world. As she said in that interview, "It makes me want to cry because we've never needed light like we need it right now. . . If I'm consumed in the light of God then there's no shroud of darkness. I don't have to fear any of [the dark things]. I can just walk through them and let his life in." Songs like "Blackout" and the simple piano ballad ("If we get disconnected/I'll sing my way back to your heart/I'll sing my way back to your arms") are just the spiritual resources the Church needs to live in light and renounce fear and darkness.

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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