Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Rob Halligan last graced these review pages as frontman for Coventry-based rock band Goldsmiths. That was a while ago and these days you're more likely to find Rob out there playing live strumming an acoustic guitar and singing some of the excellent songs captured here. No doubting that he's a fine songwriter with a neat turn of phrase, a poignant thought and a catchy tune and for this album, he's employed Simon Goodall as producer. The result is a well constructed collection of songs featuring the cream of British Christian sessioners. Highlights include the folky title track which sees Rob reminiscing about his troubled younger life. "Jesus To the World" is a dramatic gritty challenge for the Church to reach out to others. Two songs were written as a response to 9/11 when his father died in the World Trade Centre. "Stand Together" is a song of hope in the midst of tragedy and a rallying call that has since been updated on a charity single raising money for Tsunami victims. "Streets Of This Town" is a more personal response to his father dying after a trip to New York for the memorial service in mid-September 2001 with images of a city and a heart in pain looking upwards for some answers.

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