Review

One challenge that all Cd reviewers face is coming up with new and different adjectives to describe the music to you, the potential listeners. The greatest challenge is to avoid words like 'Passionate', 'Intimate', and 'Sincere'. Not because these words are bad, but simply because they are so over-used, especially when it comes to modern worship music.

So, reviewing 'A Beautiful Glow' by THE ROCK AND ROLL WORSHIP CIRCUS is refreshingly easy, if for no other reason than that their music offers me a whole new realm of possible adjectives. I don't think I've ever used the word 'Groovy' to review a worship Cd before. But, this is the first adjective that pops to mind when listening to the title cut and first track.

With their 'Monkee's-meets-Coldplay' style of music, the Worship Circus creates worship for the modern ear by way of the Yardbirds and Radiohead. If you've heard previous recordings from this group, you'll no doubt be expecting the wah-wah background vocals, the quirky mesh of styles, and the modern rock swagger in every song. However, for those who come to this Circus for the first time, you'll most likely be listening with at least a slight bit of wonder.

The Rock and Roll Worship Circus does not so much perform modern worship songs as they emit sonic waves of hope and love for Christ. It's in their blood. It's in their veins. It's who they are and it rings true in every note of 'Beautiful Glow'. Fans of The Violet Burning, Tree 63 or the original Sonic Flood will find plenty to love about this Cd, most notably great songs of worship that crank, and while the Circus has a definite sound of their own, these songs don't all sound the same. Every song on this disc has a unique flavor all its own, which is no small feat for a band on its sophomore release.

This band isn't afraid to use their music to shake things up either. On 'New Wave Revolution' the band screams, 'You say you belong to a useless, wasted generation/ for too long everything from hell has come to destroy our lives/ It's time for you and I to rearrange this constitution/ Tonight is the beginning of our New Wave Revolution/ Come and join with me!' and the audacious power of those words shake the status quo as they let the guitars wail and the drums pound out the Truth.

From the anthemic title cut to the wistful 'Blessed Tune' to the confession of 'All I Can Do', where frontman Gabriel Wilson whispers, ''Is it for me to understand the wonders of your love?/ And how all of the sin in me is overshadowed by your blood?/ And how do I show gratitude to One as glorious as you?/ I don't know, so I'll just praise you/ I'll sing out, sing out 'Hallelujah'…', this band makes the message clear as crystal. 'All I wanna do is praise you..'

This band is one to watch and this Cd is one to listen to over and over again.

Review by Keith Giles