Reviewed by Doug Holland

Julie is a Cumbria-based singer/songwriter and it was an unexpected financial gift which made the recording of this album possible. The collection - 12 tracks offering 50 minutes of music - consists almost entirely of self-penned material (one track is co-written), with Jackson providing all the vocal parts and playing the acoustic guitar (bass, drum tracks, piano and keyboard also contribute). After a strong Spanish edge to the first track, the album settles down to a predominantly English folk feel, and while not every track is vocally without blemish, this does not detract significantly from a listening experience which moves along nicely and with purpose. The material itself consists largely of "I" songs, with meditative and poetic words reflecting on the singer's response to being in the presence of and experiencing the love of Jesus. The melodies are always interesting, working and blending very well with free-flowing lyrics to create a sense of calm which fits perfectly with the theme of the collection while structurally the skilful use of partial rhymes contribute greatly to the lyrics. This debut CD illustrates clearly that Julie has a very real gift for using music to explore and express a faith experience.

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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