Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

In the '70s whilst Joe English was recording the 'London Town' album as Paul McCartney's drummer in Wings, he got a phone call to say his wife was injured following a car accident. Doctors did their best but it was the miraculous healing following his wife visiting a prayer meeting that really got his attention. English became a Christian, quit Wings and started work on his own gospel material. These two albums were his first releases on Refuge Records and marked the launch of his solo career. He headlined Greenbelt '81 and toured the UK in the autumn of that year and my job back then was to organise his first British tour. It's simple to say that 'Lights In The World' is a gem with a smooth funky pop production that highlights the strength of English's blue-eyed soul-ish vocal style. Breezy songs like "Shine On", "Midnight Angel Choir" and "Get Ready" all highlight superb musicianship, fab horn arrangements and strong spiritual messages. I think my favourite has always been the upbeat groove of "Praise Him". His second album 'Held Accountable' is more of the same with the signature smooth production sound and layered vocals all in place. There are plenty of fine moments here. "My Strength Is In The Lord" is a great ballad whilst "Learn To Celebrate" is a fabulous short burst of praise. The one thing that is easy to overlook when it comes to Joe and his band is that they were a fine bunch of musicians in their own right (they recorded their own album under the name Forerunner, with ex-Petra man John Lawry handling the vocals). The band's dexterity can be measured on the excellent instrumental workout "Thief In The Night". Of the two albums, 'Lights In The World' is slightly better and for younger music fans, the '80s production sound may make them feel dated but good music is good music. These days Joe English has completely disappeared off the scene. If you know where he is, can you tell me? It's time we got his story for these pages!

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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