Reviewed by Ian Hayter

When Larry and Charles Norman recorded the seven albums that were to form the Essential collection awhile back, a number of "bonus" tracks were not heard by everyone. An internet pirate decided to put these songs on a bootleg album and release it to the wider public. Larry decided to counter this by releasing (on the Solid Rock label) his own version of the bootleg album and here we have a dozen great tracks which are all you'd expect from the master of Christian rock. They showcase all the old energy and innovation of the big blond pioneer, within classic rock idioms. The set begins with "Don't Wanna Be Like You", written about a self-centred music industry narcissus, and contains anthemic songs such as "Waves Of Grace" and "Down To The Water". There's a song that was originally intended for the early 'So Long Ago The Garden' album ("Butterfly") and a live version of "Everybody Work". If you're a Larry Norman fan you certainly won't be disappointed, either by the quality of the songwriting or by the standard of the performance. And if you buy it, you'll be joining in the fight against musical piracy (the album's subtitle is 'Illegal Noise 2006') and making a welcome contribution to the fund for Larry's medical treatment.

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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