Storm
Artist: Storm
Label: Survivor Records/Kingsway
Length: 10/40:25
The clouds have been gathering for some time now, and finally a new group is in place to take a work similar to that of the World Wide Message Tribe into a new part of the country. This one is operating under the banner of Soul Survivor rather than Message To Schools, but shares links with WWMT--especially vocalist Beth Redman (formerly Beth Vickers), whose sterling work on "Real Thing" will be remembered by many.
This album takes a more laid-back approach than most WWMT releases, choosing poppy energy rather than "in your face" thundering beats. The songs are written by Matt Redman and bear more than a passing resemblance to many chart-pop acts. Occasionally there are tracks reminiscent of All Saints for their mixture of pop, soul, dance, and the odd funky bit (the invitations to casual sex are, of course, not present), or now-defunct Christian pop act re:fresh, of which two Storm members were once a part.
The lyrics are typical pop. They are immediate and easy enough to digest--a mixture of evangelistic messages and encouragements to Christians to reach out to their peers--but don't leave much of an aftertaste for this listener. There are hooks aplenty, but none very memorable. The closest to a stand-out track is the closer "This Love," which is the slowest song on the album and a good example of the strength of the vocalists.
Not a bad pop release, but nothing particularly noteworthy. This will probably sell pretty well through the Soul Survivor network, and hopefully the group will see success with their work in the schools, but it is not an essential purchase.
By James Stewart (09/05/1998)
