Reviewed by Peter Ould

I really didn't want to like this album, I really didn't. I have a secret apathy when it comes to discussing Hillsongs. My friends all love the output of this Australian mega-church but I'm lukewarm at best. So, I wanted to pop this CD into my player, allow it to spin away for a while and then pop in my copy of 'Great Big God' to indicate just how kids worship should be done. Except that it wasn't that simple. This live album from the 2004 Hillsong Kids conference displays the best of the Hillsongs writing team's talents, with contributions from Darlene Zschech, David and Beci Wakerley and others. The songs are all arranged in the Jump5/ZOEgirl style, enough bass to pump up the fast numbers, enough mellow guitar and keyboard to back the more solemn tunes, but that's no bad thing. There are even one or two numbers ("Anthem Of Praise" for example) that wouldn't be out of place in a more adult context - which is a sign of the Hillsongs team having breached that "all-age" boundary that confounds so many of us. If you want an example of what good kids worship sounds like (as opposed to kids entertainment) then pick up this CD yesterday.

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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