Reviewed by Tony Cummings

This is the album where the veteran worship leader and composer finally delivers. Maybe it took the production skills of that award winning Brit John Hartley to encase Godfrey in some full on rock arrangements not to mention some delicious BVs (concerning the latter it's good to see the old CCM stalwart Mark Williamson providing some of those), or maybe it's simply that Godfrey's songwriting has got better and better. But either way, this is the best Birtill album ever with a staggering eight songs being selected by Cross Rhythms for airplay. Wherever you look there are gems. The opener is a clever contemporisation of James Montgomery's 19th century hymn "Lift Up Your Heads" while Birtill's own "God So Loved This Whole World" is as catchy a song as you'll hear this year. Concerning the latter, I know of at least one Christian who objected to a chorus which consisted of little more than the word "yeah" but I personally think it would be unfair to select Mr Birtill as an example of someone dumbing down theological truth. Just the opposite, in fact. Godfrey's songs are often powerfully prophetic and rather eloquent, eg, "When I stop at the cross/I can see the love of God/But I can't see unforgiveness/I can't see hate or envy/I can't see stupid fighting or bitterness or jealousy/I can't see empire-building/I can't see self-importance/I can't see back stabbing or vanity/Or arrogance." All in all, this is surely one of the most powerful and challenging worship albums you'll hear this, or any, year.

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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