Reviewed by Peter Dilley

It's always pleasing to encounter an artist whose music has that "what's not to like?" quality about it. This singer/songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona delivers a debut that is both fresh and engaging. Like many writers before her, Kelly Mack draws on the Psalms for inspiration, using them as a means of shaping the overall lyrical content of songs like "Take Me With You" and "Sing Unto Thee". God's grace and forgiveness, and our response, is a strong underlying theme here - particularly evident on "All You Need" and "Call My Name", with her opener "The Only One" succeeding simultaneously in being both confessional and uplifting. Pared-down acoustic numbers "Take Me With You" and "Complete" have a pure simplicity, but Kelly is no less effective with the more lavish soundscapes elsewhere. Others have likened the 24 year old to Leigh Nash and Enya, but her voice is perhaps closest to the lilting, slightly breathy delivery of The Cranberries' Dolores O'Riordan (minus the Irish accent). This is particularly evident on "Bring Me To My Knees" and "Come Quickly", whilst deliberately or otherwise, Kelly's delicate handling of "Nothing Can Compare" invites at least some comparison with the classic hit with a similar title by yet another Irish singer. A debut that seems to press all the right buttons.

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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