Reviewed by Dave Massey

A nice idea (a quartet playing P&W) which is spoilt by unimaginative arrangements - none more so than the opening track, "Jesus We Enthrone You". The pieces never really take off or utilise the full potential of a string quartet which is capable of unleashing a whole range of emotion with its vocal and lyrical sound. A case in point is "Kyrie Eleison", the title track which is devoid of feeling and would have been a golden opportunity to utilise the moving vocal range of the cello. Instead we are given a mechanical performance which is indicative of the whole disc and does no justice to the instrumentalists or to the arrangers. The best arrangement on the album is "O When The Saints", offering a little light relief in the middle and giving a glimpse of what might be possible in the future. The concept is great, but not enough thought has been given to the material or the arrangements or to the finished product which would have been much better with a shot of musicality from a quartet who I am sure are capable of it!

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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