Reviewed by Alex Figgis

Tackling life head on, Jim Drew expresses his passionate. emotionally charged observations of life's seasons through some excellent acoustic driven rock of the highest calibre. The musicianship herein is excellent. From the opening bars of the title track, through the complex rhythms underpinning "He Is The Answer" to the stunning intro to "No Temptation". 'Toys In The River' also boasts some well-crafted lyrics. The witty turn of phrase throughout "That's Life" demonstrates Jim to be a singer/songwriter to be reckoned with. Matters of both faith and inner struggle with the flesh and temptation are dealt with uncompromisingly from a man who's obviously uneasy with simple platitudes: "Why does the common seem so strange to me/Is this a child's curiosity/We claim our age but look the shadows are too small/We turn the page and know we've never read it all" ("Somebody"). Even the simple expression of faith in "No Temptation" when juxtaposed with 'The Marketplace" ("Well I look but I don't touch/Once can't hurt that much/That's when I hear you saying/'Don't make a marketplace out of this temple") demonstrates the fact that we all struggle in our walk with Christ and that there is hope and an answer to be found through faith in God based on his Word. Though the mix seems a little uneven in places 'Toys In The River" is a debut well worth checking out.

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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