STYLE: Hymnody RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 145857-21126 LABEL: Kevin Mayhew 1490460 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1
Reviewed by Oscar Hyde
More than 35 albums and 40 Greenbelt festivals into his career, Garth's found another new inspiration: the National Chartist Hymn Book. Chartism was a powerful mid-1800s English political movement protesting for steps towards democracy, shot through with a strong Christian motivation for social justice. Though the movement itself didn't achieve reform, it's acted as inspiration to many socially conscious Christians since; Hewitt's now brought the songbook to life in true troubadour sound, fanning the flames of a generation once again connecting worship and social justice. The hymns are powerful indeed: "Hail, Glorious Morn!" proclaims Christ's resurrection as his victory over the powers of oppression, and, by extension, the powers disenfranchising the working class. "For Every Thing A Time" draws from the famous passage in Ecclesiastes and "Hark, I Hear" from the story of Belshazzar's feast both remind the powers that be that the coming justice and liberation of God is inescapable. Other songs plead for God's intervention, with hope: "Yet not in vain thy children call/On thee, if thou are Lord of all". Hewitt's voice is a distinctly acquired taste but for me it reflects his passion and compassion; the music is simple enough to emphasise the lyrics and strong enough to make them ring.
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