Reviewed by Phil Thomson

The team behind this initiative, headed up by Andrew Griffiths, have had the wisdom to allow Llanelli-based Penny Stone to express herself as an artist in her own right, writing and performing her songs as a unique expression of all she has gone through, rather than choosing covers, dressing things up. For those who need to know, Teen Challenge is an alcohol and drug rehab Christian ministry to women, rescuing hundreds from the misery of addiction and possible death - Penny among them. But there is nothing mawkish or self-pitying in the songs. Having a worthy cause is often accompanied by a creative blind spot and a lack of objectivity in the rush to spread the word. Thankfully 'Watch The Flowers Grow' doesn't seem to be out for propaganda or personality. While the cover is naive - a simple white daisy on plain blue - the music is anything but; there is a maturity, intensity and raw, rock pop honesty in Penny, producing work redolent of a stand-alone experienced writer running the gamut from heartache to determination to joy. She writes "Song For C J", "Linzi, Pouring Out My Heart", "Broken Silence", titles which can only allude to the struggles she has faced - and thanks be to God, conquered. It is that sensitivity and empathy which has been harnessed for us and it seems entirely reasonable that income from the sales of the album go towards their work. That feels like a win/win situation.

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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