Eden's Bridge - Celtic Reflections On Hymns

Reviewed by Trevor Kirk

"The music of Eden's Bridge stirs the imagination and the soul," says the back cover of this one, and for once this is not publicist's hype. The first time I heard this ensemble I was hooked, and nothing I have heard in the two years or so since has made me alter my opinion. These guys are magic! This album is near­ly 55 minutes of gorgeous music, immaculately played, sung and arranged, and whilst some might look at the track list and question whether we need another version of "Be Thou My Vision" or "Here Is Love Vast As The Ocean", such is the authentic Celtic ambience that Sarah and Richard Lacy, David Bird, Jon Large and Teri Bryant create, their readings of even these two well-known (and well-worn) classics are fresh and different. Other delights include a quite exquisite new tune to the old Victorian hymn "Father Hear The Prayer We Offer"; "Sanctus", a Lacy/Bird/Lacy original that floats along on the back of Sarah's crystal-clear vocals; and a cracking arrangement of "Amazing Grace" that has some haunting whistle work from Richard, and Teri busily doing double time percussion underneath John Newton's familiar words. Absolute bliss from start to finish, and at mid-price too; an excellent way to invest £10.99.