Reviewed by Paul Poulton

Another church-based CD; I don't have a lot of faith in them. The Christian Growth Centre (CGC) in Paisley has a mission to tell the world, and part of the mission is being accomplished by their musical pursuits. On the CGC website there is a poll asking what we think of the new album, so maybe this is a good opportunity for me to say what I think. The writing on the inlay is very small and not easy to read, my eyes aren't too bad but it takes a lot of concentration to decipher it. Most of the songs seem to be written by Neil Shaw, a guitarist who knows how to handle a six string, and the songs themselves have an angle to pursue that's not a direct copy of anyone I can think of, so originality is on their side. "Everything That You Are" is a fine song with a beautiful series of descending piano chords sung by Neil with feeling and character. I can't decipher who actually played the piano though, but it is played tastefully. The two girls, Sarah Harrington and Lizzi Gibson, sing well and could be encouraged or coached to release their potential. Another hot spot is the song "Sing Of Your Love" with its emotive and subtle female lead vocal, it could be a big song if it was produced and arranged with some flair and creativity. I understand that churches usually have to use the people who attend the church and therein lies the problem with some church-based recordings. On 'Tell The World' there is a general reticence to attack the songs with passion. The drums are thin and mixed without enough top end or depth. The tuning in some places is suspect while the instruments sit on top of the rhythm rather than blending neatly into it. A CD unlikely to travel beyond Paisley.

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.