Reviewed by Tony Cummings

If you were going to launch into the Christian music market, as Questar have with this release, you'd be hard put to find a better singer/songwriter than Mr Shumate. With the same kind of deftly crafted, spiritually insightful songs that has taken Steven Curtis Chapman to the top Stateside. Like Mr Chapman, Thorn shows occasional country tinges mixed into the deftly arranged pop brew, the effect is profoundly enjoyable. My absolute favourite is "Living On The Face Of The Moon" with an eerie atmosphere and lyrics which hit particularly deep, "We built our cities out of gold and glass/All pain and poverty left in the past/War was a cancer that had been removed/Belief in God has long since been disproved/And we're living on the surface of the moon" though the haunting "Holy Eyes" chosen as Thorn's first single and "Can't Hide Your Heart" a poignant vignette about a lass let down in romantic love until she finds true love in Jesus are also very fine. Accompanists are from many of CCM's finest, including Ashley Cleveland singing with Thorn on the infectious opener "Freedom Love And Forgiveness" and Phil Keaggy offering some deft licks on "If It Was All Up To Me". A brilliant debut.

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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