Reviewed by Phil Hancock

Sammy is of course famed for fronting Celtic rock band The Electrics and for his Celtic Praise solo albums. This set of rootsy Americana numbers contains many sing along catchy tracks that wouldn't sound out of place on VH1. Sammy doesn't so much have an ear for a sweet melody, more like a giant radar, and the result is an album packed with pop moments, anthemic choruses, sweet guitar parts and lovely vocal harmonies. He rings stylistic changes on this album, from straightforward country rock, on tracks such as "Keep Your Shoulder To The Plough", "Helper" and "Prototype", to the blues with "Sinnerman", featuring some sprightly harmonica, and the rock/pop sound of "Scars" and "Heart As Big As Ireland", both using heavy electric guitars and rocking drums to inject the album with some adrenaline. The album closes with several melodic guitar and pop orientated tracks, using pleasant Beatles style vocal harmonies, "Three Kings" and "I Can" are particularly pleasing, and closing track "Sydney Harbour" shows off Sammy's guitar playing skills with some lovely finger picking acoustic parts and contains some great singing too. In the inlay Sammy describes the desert as, "A place of shelter or even helper for a while. Despair comes just as quickly and fear, doubt and struggle are constant companions." This album offers an oasis to the desert of life, a place to rest and draw strength.

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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