Reviewed by non compos mentis....

Readers of this site are probably most interested in Iain's contributions to this album, but he plays little more than a cameo role for most of it. With one exception, it's not the sort of material one expects to hear from him, but there are some great tracks within, and the one original Archer track is worth the wait.

The CD begins with Waiting For The Healing, a dreamy mix of electric piano chords, mantra-like guitar riffs, and energetic drum programming placing it firmly in Everything But The Girl / Bristol Trip-Hop territory. There's some fine playing from producer Dave Lynch and Revelation Bell bassist Dan Kaufmann, but it's Miriam Kaufmann's gentle vocals that really stand out. Holy Ground is a more aggressive sampler-dominated tune, on which Iain is credited as the guitarist responsible for the overdriven power chords and funky chops. Vanessa Freeman belts out the lyrics with gusto.
Pour Out My Heart is Iain's first appearance centre-stage. The Radiohead influenced rock treatment of this worship song is a definite highpoint of the album (try hearing the first verse and chorus without it bringing the classic "Creep" to mind!). Another great tune follows - strange ethnic samples, hard-core drums, symphonic string chords and a strong performance from the anonymous vocalist all feature on And Death Shall Have No Dominion, a huge Massive Attack-like soundscape from lyricist Jonny Baker and musician Jon Birch. Hypnotic and breathtaking.

After a space-filling instrumental jam, Adoramus Te Domine and Agnus Dei are both Taize-style chants given the Dave Lynch treatment of bass, drums and sampler. On Holy River more fistfuls of electric piano chords are underscored by a synth bass line and live drums in the first part of the song which again features Vanessa Freeman's vocals, but it's the second half which really gets going, when the programmed beats and obscure samples kick in.
Happy 2 B Praizin features a bright rave-like synth, a rhythm track slightly reminiscent of Black Box, and gospel vocal samples from Carrie Grant reminsicent of, um, Black Box. It's followed by the atmospheric My Jesus, My Lifeline. With a wonderfully inspired brass-sample opening, the track turns into a Portishead-influenced ballad which could almost have been the theme music to Twin Peaks..... Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai begins with a gentle piano intro - not unlike many an Amy Grant song - but then grows into a wide string dominated groove with Vanessa Freeman's voice soaring above the uplifting sound.
Iain Archer's original song Waiting Heart leans towards the sound of the Revelation Bell album but solid playing from the trio, his soulful singing and some neat production ideas make it a superior listen to the earlier album. By far the least "up-front" track lyrically on the collection, it echoes the honest self-appraisal of many of his songs.

Those buying this CD just for the Iain Archer songs may well be disappointed. Only one song can be considered genuine Archer, with Pour Out My Heart sounding very untypical in its straightforward praise lyrics. Waiting Heart aside, there is no hint here of the searching and struggles of faith which pervade Iain's work. That said, there is some fine contemporary Christian music here, with Jon Birch's And Death Shall Have No Dominion being my own pick of the bunch.