Reviewed by Tony Cummings

It must be said that even songs "from dustier corners of Cliff's discography" (to quote from Jan Willem Vink's sleevenote for The Winner') often sound more vibrantly contemporary than many outpourings from the swathes of CCM young hopefuls. This of course has something to do with the top-of-the-range studios, musicians and producers available to a bona fide megastar. But it also has to do with the superlatively high standards of performance and material Cliff has set for himself. The Winner' bristles with quality songs, some standards ("From A Distance"), some welcome rediscoveries (Mal Pope's "Reunion Of The Heart" and Graham Kendrick's "Fighter") and one or two new to the ear. 'The Winner' is a great new compilation, which will no doubt be an omnipresent in Christian bookstore racks for years to come.

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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