Lou Fellingham - Promised Land

Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Taking the lead singer of one of Britain's best loved bands, encouraging her and husband to write sharp, Scripture-focussed worship songs, flying her out to Los Angeles and surrounding her with a bevy of top line musicians was, no doubt, was the strategy to see this soar up the Christian music charts. The fact that the Phatfish singer not only follows up her big selling 'Treasure' album with a project that is, to my ears, even better says much for the singing talent and compositional skill of Lou. The songs are powerful, with the chugging rock rhythmed title track, the haunting acoustic-driven "God Immortal" and the bluesy "Breathe" (complete with tasty Hammond organ interjections) all possessing words and melodies that sound like they have that elusive something that could impact the worshipping churches. But whatever the congregational worship future of the 10 strong compositions here, one thing is already clear, this is an album which will bless and enrich all those wise enough to invest in its purchase. I can hardly wait to get 'Promised Land' into the Cummings car stereo. My absolute favourite track is "Come Let Us Enter" where Lou shows an unexpected upper register to her voice on the anthemic chorus which has the same goose-bump inducing effect that Rebecca St James sometimes induces in her listeners. Lou is a national Christian music treasure with a voice that has matured down the years from its acid jazz origins to sound as convincing on full-on power rockers as it is when purring wistful Celtic-tinged ballads. And with a heart clearly overflowing with love for the King of Kings Lou has produced the best work of her long and fruitful ministry.