Reviewed by Matthew Cordle

Ghost Ship formed in 2009 at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, becoming one of the church worship bands. 'Costly' is their second studio album, released in August 2015, and was written through what was a very difficult time for all at Mars Hill as the church dissolved and closed. It's telling that the resulting focus is on what God has done, the cost that Jesus has paid, as he is where we find our only security. The opening "Invitation" summons the listener, "Come and find your rest in Jesus, come and find a refuge for your soul/Come and find relief in Jesus, come and find your peace and lose control/Come and find the gift of freedom, come and find redemption for your soul/Come and find your life in Jesus, come and find the love that won't let go". This unequivocal thread of assurance pervades the entire collection of Americana-tinged worship songs, albeit with varying degrees of both celebration and melancholy. The overall flavour evokes memories of student camp fires on the beach, singing with abandon of the goodness of our God in songs such as "Look What God Has Done", yet also sharing the reality of difficult life experiences, in the likes of "Provide"; "Will you really provide for me/Will my wife eat/Will my children be okay this month". My favourite song is probably "Peace", a somewhat mournful-sounding reflection on the elusiveness of peace with a particularly lyrical chorus melody, "You are the only one who brings me peace/You're the joy here in my suffering/When everyone has gone/You're my hope when hope is lost." "Hesed" rounds up as a gentle reminder of God's covenant with his people and his matchless loving-kindness. Whilst 14 songs is good value-for-money, a couple are rather forgettable and could easily have been axed. However, excellent playing and good production result in an uncomplicated, spacious sound that underpins and draws out the authentic nature of the songs.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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