This a refreshingly genuine set of tracks with much brighter colour and far meatier content than the usual Christian fare.

Label: Independent
Time: 11 tracks

While some worship leaders make God’s kingdom sound wafty and distant, Griffiths – free from record label interference and fleshing out the title– celebrates its closeness in more concrete terms. He describes us as children playing wildly on trampolines, laughing and enjoying tickles.

Completely eschewing cliché, he acknowledges doubts along the way, describes growing on life’s journey and emphasises the preciousness of having God as our father. There are a couple of love songs here too.  

The material’s variety and graphic imagery finds an echo in the musical styles. Generally, this is a grittily organic release with a rocky edge, but he turns in almost dreamy pieces on “Yeshua” and “Abide,” verges on gospel in the middle of “Son” and switches to funk for “Pure Revelry” (if only more Christian tracks had names like that!).

Much of this is because, supported by sensitive keyboards, guitarist Marc James (of Vineyard and Verra Cruz fame) is so adaptable, by turns anthemic on “Awake!” and elsewhere chiming, delicate and rhythmic. Other popular guests include worship leader Ian Yates and members of cult band [dweeb].

It could offer a few more hooks, and occasionally lyrics could scan better, but this is a refreshingly genuine set of tracks with much brighter colour and far meatier content than the usual Christian fare.

Derek Walker
http://walkerwords.wordpress.com