Grapevine - Still Standing

Reviewed by Tom Lennie

Chris Bowater and Delirious? at the same live event? Now there's diversity - although, if you as much as blink you might miss the D:boys' frustratingly brief appearance on this album. There's plenty more to captivate and enthuse, however, with a passion-soaked and worshipful song selection that is characteristic of the Grapevine team. Chris takes fine lead on a couple of beautiful anthems, particularly Iain Hannah's "I'm So Amazed". Andy Bromley does justice to two of his own new songs as well as to Delirious?' striking "Here I Am (Majesty)". I confess I'm not particularly taken with Godfrey Birtill's raw, in-yer-face declarations, but am more impressed with one of his newer offerings here (though it does end rather abruptly). Then the album closes with a less dramatic but nonetheless moving version of Phatfish's own "There Is A Day". In it's 23rd year of live festival, and enduring "a tornado, floods, and this year an accident in the Big Top that had devastating potential", we can all rejoice that Grapevine are, as they themselves proclaim - 'Still Standing' (and not just standing still!).