Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Take a producer who has worked with such acts as Stacie Orrico and Lanae' Hale and a rock singer known for fronting Nashville journeymen Circleslide and what do you get? Americana and blues of course! The unexpected musical partnership of Brandon Bee and Gabe Martinez has borne immediate fruit on StompTown Revival's debut. The opener "Guiding Me Home" with its artful move from rural acoustic sounds into a swampy piece of Southern rock is a rollicking delight while "Waiting For The Man", like several of the other tracks, has some delicious blues harp from Gabe. The mid tempo "Born Again" asks the question, "Oh, maker of Heaven, won't you, won't you, won't you make me born again" over harmonica and stomp box while the closer sees the Seattle duo taking the classic hymn "Leaning On The Everlasting Arms" and giving it a rootsy makeover. All in all, a breath of fresh air which hopefully will get noticed by the increasingly dull confines of US Christian radio.

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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