Reviewed by Simon Eden

Charlie Hall is one of three worship leaders along with David Crowder and Chris Tomlin that constitute America's phenomenal Passion events, and who released one of the foremost worship albums of all time, ‘Our Love Is Loud’". However, this solo release is in quite a different vein. ‘On The Road To Beautiful’ consists of a collection of slow tempo praise songs. Those expecting a collection of congregational worship songs are likely to be disappointed as there aren’t any on this recording. This album is quiet and reflective, and quite intimate, contrasting with the Passion loud public worship, with chorus lines of “We are filled with joy.” The drawback is that because of the consistent tempos and the unplugged guitar with piano style this album has a melancholy tone to it. It starts promisingly, offering to whisk you off to a dreamland of eschatological paradise, but risks of being so calming that it would be pleasant to fall asleep to. Passion for Jesus is clear from the lyrics, but the fruits of the Spirit here are concentrated more on peace than joy. I have yet to find out how we can “run like a river, dance like the summer”? God is bigger than any box we may try and put him in, and this album finds God in a different box than where you might initially expect.

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