Spring Harvest - Live Worship 2008: One Hope

Reviewed by Stephen Luff

Live recordings from Spring Harvest have become an institution in the Christian worship scene, bought in their thousands as a reminder of a week in Skegness or Minehead, or by worship leaders looking for new material. This year worship leaders Mark Beswick, Andrew Booth, Andy Flannagan, Geraldine Latty, Martyn Layzell, Sue Rinaldi and Noel Robinson each brought their talents to the event. As a recording, it does exactly what was intended but I couldn't help feeling that on several tracks, namely "Praise Awaits" and "Lord I Lift Your Name On High", you had to be there to really get into it (which I was!) and if you were not, it loses its uniqueness and becomes, dare I say, a stereotypical praise recording. Having stated that, there are some great moments on the disc. "Hosanna" is one where you get really involved in the praise and "Lord, You Are Good" guarantees at least a finger will start tapping. But in truth, the days when Spring Harvest were the cutting edge of modern worship are long past.