Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Occasionally, recording a live worship album completely blurs the distinction between deft musical expertise and audience participation atmosphere, between Holy Spirit-blown improvisation and thoughtful theological songwriting, between popular art and timeless anointing. This is one of those occasions. Redding, California's Jesus Culture have long stated that their ultimate vision is to herald in revival to the world wide Church while Martin Smith has demonstrated down the years that he is up there with this century's finest hymnwriters and worship songsmiths. Though Martin's voice may occasionally show the strain away from the thunderous support of the Littlehampton d:boys the collaboration of Jesus Culture and Smith has here produced one of Christian music's finest moments and the gathering at New York's Nassau Veterans Coliseum will surely go down in worship music history. In fact, the way the audience take up the singing at the close of "Majesty", taking over as the band leaves off, is possibly the most effecting moment of all in an album brimming with emotion and passion. 'Live In New York' brings together new and old songs from both Smith's and Jesus Culture's worship catalogues. New songs such as "Fire Never Sleeps", "Waiting Here For You" and "Sing Of Solomon" first heard on Smith's 'God's Great Dance Floor' EPs take on a new power and resonance in this setting while the Delirious? classic "Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble" completely sidesteps any problems of over familiarity. Jesus Culture's Kim Walker is in fine voice, her gutsy contralto bringing passion and power to One Sonic Society's "Walk With Me" and Bryan & Katie Torwalt's "Holy Spirit" while the Chris Quilala songs "Alleluia" and "Oh How I Love You" are both memorable. When listening to this album I found myself remembering again that renowned prophecy given in the early years of Cross Rhythms that one day "contemporary Christian music was going to be a spearhead for revival in Britain." This release may well move that long anticipated event a little closer.

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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