Reviewed by Paul Poulton

I tried to get this CD playing properly three times before it dawned on me that the first few seconds were supposed to sound like a radio being tuned in. Suddenly the tuning locates the Bonzo Brothers and away they go, punchy, energetic and great fun. The first song off the blocks is "I Wanna Be A Witness" which has a hook interesting enough to capture the adult listener yet easy enough for children to join in with. The Bonzos continue to present their radio programme with fast moving sketches, news reports and jokes: "What did Tarzan say when he saw the elephants coming over the hill?" " I don't know - what did Tarzan say when he saw the elephants coming over the hill?" " Hey, the elephants are coming over the hill!" Maybe I happened to be in the right mood but I thought it was funny. Excellent spiritual content is interwoven amongst all the mayhem. A news reporter does a running commentary on Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego as if it was actually happening as we listen, with "Fiery Furnace" updates throughout the show. It is designed for parents to play in the car as if it were really the radio, with the important difference that the children will be imbibing Biblical truth rather than the questionable fare that's offered on regular stations. 'Radio Halo' is 33 minutes long and publicity recommends it for children of all ages. Kids that are used to listening to popular culture would find it entertaining, but when I played it to my 15 months old son he ran to the patio door banging and shouting to be let out.

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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