Reviewed by Trevor Kirk

Emmaus is a 16-voice worship group based in Chinnor, near Oxford, and this album was recorded at Appletree Studios in Buckinghamshire, and produced by Phil Goss of As If.. fame. The recording was financed by two generous people after they had heard the group sing in concert, and the 13 tracks on offer consist of a wide selection of worship material ranging from Wesley to Fellingham, via Roger Jones, Maggi Dawn, Vinesong and Graham Kendrick. Those are the bare facts of the thing; what those facts don't convey is the quality of the listening experience, which is poor. The whole production has an unpleasant metallic sound, the vocals are often painfully thin, and sometimes the various harmonies simply do not blend, highlighting the vocal deficiencies of some of the singers. No doubt the group is a big hit live, but I've said in these columns before, that a recording is like a camera - it never lies, and it can be extremely cruel. Much hard work is needed should Emmaus decide to venture into a recording studio again.

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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