Reviewed by Paul Keeble

This is a bargain-priced sampler of 11 tracks from a variety of US and UK-based worship bands and solo artists. The problem with reviewing what is presumably a pick of album highlights is sometimes wondering "if this is the best track, what is the worst one like?" Not a danger here as all the songs have something to them but, it has to be said, some more than others. As always I'm looking for something creative and individual, musically and lyrically, an artist that is prepared to push the boundaries and "go out into the deep" theologically, beyond the shallows of re-cycling - no doubt sincerely - another selection from the Worship Songwriter's List of Standard Phrases: sentiments deemed safe for a worship gathering, but lacking the spread of emotions and reflections of the human condition found in the book of Psalms (anyone fancy taking on Ps 88?). The standout song here for me is "Hope" by Sarah MacIntosh (from her album 'Current'). It reminds me of "Lead Me On"-era Amy Grant with strong melody and lyrics and a great arrangement, well played and recorded. Desperation Band's "Strong God" is also worth noting: a slower, more contemplative song, again with a good arrangement. Not sure about the band name though. "Do It Again" (not to be confused with the Steely Dan classic) is high on energy, but little more than many repetitions of the refrain "Do it again, do it again Jesus". Also noteworthy is "Second Chance" by Rend Collective Experiment. Several songs are of the generic sub-Delirious?/U2 sound that seems to permeate a lot of worship recordings, so while they are well executed, they are a bit similar to the point of making me check all the tracks were by different bands! If you want to explore what is available in the worship album scene this sampler is an inexpensive way to try before you buy.

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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