5th
July, 2007
JUSTIN
MICHAEL
Album: East of the River
Artist: Robin Mark
Label: Integrity, 2007
Enhanced:
No
In a word: Distinctive
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"For those who like a really good dose of scripture
in their music, there’s much to be had here."
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Take
some Irish jigs, some American folk and some modern adult-contemporary
praise 'n worship and you’ll get somewhere close to
this new offering from Robin Mark.
Please don’t look at the cover art of this album. It
sounds a whole lot better than it looks, believe me!
There is always something innate that's triggered when one
hears the Irish whistles and Uillean pipe. For some reason,
your toes just start to tap and your heart stirs. This is
one tool that Mark uses incredibly well.
There are three ‘jig interludes’ throughout the
disc that somehow make it flow (irony intended, I’m
sure). Lyrically Mark hits some wonderful heights with songs
such as Lost and Found - "I am but a lost and
found, but can there be sweeter sound, than singing with the
lost and found?", it asks.
Central Station, not being a congregational song,
shows a different side of Mark. It’s a James Taylor-tinged
story song that speaks of regret at not speaking to an old
friend - "I saw you in central station....dark days had
so obviously befallen you, You looked bad and I wished that
I had spoke to you". It goes on to speak of the writer's
testimony and what he would like to share with this friend
if he ever sees him again - "Grace flows like a might
river, and one day I just dipped my finger in, and love caught
and dragged me to a deeper place’".
For those who like a really good dose of scripture in their
music, there’s much to be had here. Mark has offered
scripture references for many of the songs in the liner notes
including Arise Shine, taken from Isaiah 60, Fortress, taken from Psalm 71 and At the Dawning,
taken from Habakkuk (yes, Habakkuk! That may just be a first
for praise and worship albums)
It’s a good listen, but could do with a bit of editing
- 13 songs with three interludes could have easily been cut
to a more digestible package. Still, if you’re a Robin
Mark fan, you’ll probably want the up-sized meal of
well-crafted congregational songs that make up East of
the River.
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