Reviewed by Steven Bridge

A new Brit on the block has picked up the ball in the burgeoning worship scene. Jonny Shepherd comes from Rugby and his debut album marked by simplicity and sincerity, borne out of writing hundreds of songs and leading hundreds of services, Shepherd leads his flock well. He says, "God punched me full in the face, imprinting the word 'WORSHIP' on my forehead, in indelible ink. Well, not literally of course, but that's what it felt like!" Quite an impact! His wholehearted desire to worship God comes through the 10 songs recorded here. The beautiful ballad and title track "Honestly" encapsulates his heart to worship. I liked most of the arrangements, but sometimes the singing detracted from the songs, particularly where the group vocals were apparent. I loved the album thick card inlay sleeve with insert pix amidst the lyrics and the striking black and white cover photograph - simple but effective. On it, Shepherd is wearing a "Learner" sign around his neck with the letter "L" helping to form the title 'HONESTLY'. All good disciples learn, especially from the Good Shepherd. I would like to see an external producer work on a follow-up album to get the best out of the various talents. But all in all, I liked this first worship offering, honestly.

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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