Reviewed by Tim Holden

This is New Zealander Phil Joel’s second solo outing from the Newsboys and a departure in style from them and his previous album ‘Watching Over You’. The songwriting is as melodic as the Newsboys but has a real hard rock edge. Phil’s voice would not be out of place in a ‘70s glam rock band and there are shades of T-Rex here along with some great Delirious?-like guitar sounds. Not all the album is driving rock though. “Passing Angel” is a beautifully minimal song about coping with death with a wonderful arrangement consisting of an upright piano and violin. As you would expect from a member of the Newsboys, the production is excellent with some interesting effects, not least the use of Phil’s daughter Phynley on “All So Good”. While the music is always strong, the lyrical content does not always keep up with it and can be a little simplistic at times. Well worth getting hold of, and not just if you are a Newsboys fan.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.

This track data is supplied by the Cross Rhythms CD/DVD review library. Please note that CD tracks may vary according to release region or product version.