STYLE: MOR / Soft Pop RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 6866-2214 LABEL: Alleluia Music 00982 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1 RRP: £4.99
Reviewed by Mike Rimmer
Listening to 'Such Joy' is like taking a popular walk. Integrity have again raided their publishing catalogue to provide a familiar landscape. There's a breath of fresh air to your musical surroundings because these old tunes are re-recorded in 90s MOR style. Overall it works. You can enjoy again the splendour of "Highest Place" or Kelly Willard's version of "Blessed Be The Lord God Almighty". You can thrill to the new sights of "We Declare your Name" which is a wonderful bluesy funky little praise tune. For me the best thing about this series of albums is the opportunity to hear Chris Rodriguez sing. For a long time hidden in the bushes of Nashville session backing vocals, here he takes centre stage on the album's opener "Mighty Is Our God", proving that somebody should sign him to a solo deal. Generally it's familiar territory here, not really breaking new ground and sadly sometimes familiarity breeds contempt. The biggest blot on the horizon on our journey is where this album trespasses on Jack Hayford's "Majesty" - do we really need yet another pedestrian version of this? I don't think so!
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