Reviewed by Ewan Jones

The title track of Garth's latest album is a clever rally cry for Jesus' followers to "steal back" Jesus and show him to the world through acts of peace and love, creative expression, humility and care for the oppressed and the weak. Clever stuff though I understand Tony Cummings on the Rimmerama programme suggested the need for an "answer" song which examined the need to "steal back" Jesus from the left wing liberal intelligentsia with their unbiblical obsessions and reductionist Gospel. Elsewhere on the album we've got "Eternal Echoes", an opener which sets the theme - "We are what we do with our silence../Eternal echoes are leading me with the silent voice of love." It is a journey which resonates with God's story - trees, deliverance, justice, mercy, peace and a journey towards the promised land (with a neat little personal touch). Hewitt writes clever and often moving lyrics that shift skilfully between sharp indictments, then humour, the desperate cries of the weak to a message of hope though his rudimentary vocals are an acquired taste. The arrangements here veer from traditional hoe-down country/folk music to beautiful Eastern instrumentation. With echoes of Cash and Dylan this album is definitely worth a listen though the highly derivative sleeve photography shows the singer trying a little too hard to be Britain's answer to The Man In Black.

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