Reviewed by Trevor Kirk

If you ever wondered what sort of music seems to go down well in the Northern Isles, then apparently this is it. The covering letter with the CD seems to imply that this is country music, but I’m not sure. The track list consists of songs that Michael and his band have performed in concert and have been requested to record. All but one of the 12 songs here are cover versions and I recognise most of them. They range from Loretta Lynn’s "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" via a medley of Albert Brumley’s "I’ll Fly Away" and Hank Williams’ "I Saw The Light", to Dallas Holm’s "Rise Again" and Rich Mullins’ "That Where I Am There You...". No questioning the musical talents of the protagonists, but the track list would restrict the appeal of this to the band’s fan base, who might not have heard the originals. Likewise radio airplay would be difficult; any Christian radio station with a library of any size would have most of the composers’ cuts, and these versions don’t bring any fresh perspectives to the songs that might persuade a music manager to play one of these instead of the original. Nevertheless, an enjoyable listen.

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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