STYLE: Roots/Acoustic RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 8877-8612 LABEL: Kingsway 581 FORMAT: CD Album
Reviewed by Tony May
The latest in Kingsway's instrumental praise series. Covering mostly yawningly familiar territory ("Bind Us Together", "In Heavenly Armour"), it is an album of two quite distinct styles. One features washes of synth atmospheres overlain by tinkly samples and real guitar with the melody taken by acoustic instruments. Viola, Northumbrian pipes and Dave Fitzgerald's woodwind are superb, with a genuine sense of worship. Unfortunately, they struggle to lift the predictable and pedestrian arrangements. Of the vast range of instruments used in trad folk, the least acceptable and most rarely seen is the synthesiser. On half of this album it dominates. Trad folk praise? Not. The second style features superbly authentic arrangements built around melodean, mandolin and guitar. Even "Make Way" bursts into life! The songs ring with the tonal interest of real instruments and the absence of "celestial gas leak" synth lets you hear them. The tunes speak exuberantly of the joy, peace and vitality of our new life. This is a music which celebrates. Overall, a 37-minute album, half of which would be better styled "Enya Praise". I imagine it's targeted at a middle-of-the-road audience who don't know a pick from a fipple and as such it may well succeed. Don't buy it for a folk enthusiast friend.
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