Reviewed by Peter Ould

Another artful blend of spoken word and wistfully haunting music. Gold Records do this thing so well. But there are problems. I think Mal Pope is a fantastic songwriter. Stuff like "Reunion Of The Heart" just sets my spine a-tingling and I think that his voice is great and he is a much under appreciated Christian artist. And it's not as if the monologues on this double-CD aren't interesting and thoughtful, provoking a deeper look at Simon Peter's relationship with Jesus. It's just that as a CD to listen to this fails me completely. Other Christian shows that are put onto CD really keep me enthralled (for example Paul Field and Rob Frost's 'Burning Questions' is not only hilarious but also musically very tight) but for me this one just kept me reaching for the fast forward button. The songs are okay, but they're only okay, nothing more. The monologues are well delivered, but simply not hooky enough. It could be that I haven't seen the stage-show so I'm not getting the fullness of the 'Remembers' experience. It could be that I simply don't appreciate this style of performance. Or, it could be my deep underlying feeling that Christian music and drama needs to be more than just "average" if it's to make any real impact.

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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