Prelude
'It’s now almost 30 years since “If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body…” (you know the rest), but the guys have lost none of their sense of humour.'

George Luke reviews the best new releases from the Christian music scene released in July

Use the links to buy the albums from amazon.co.uk and Christian Aid will receive part of the sale price

The Bellamy Brothers will always be remembered for inflicting one of the corniest chat-up lines in history upon us.

It’s now almost 30 years since “If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body…” (you probably know the rest), but the guys have lost none of their sense of humour – as evidenced by their latest album, Jesus Is Coming.

The Brothers serve up country gospel with a generous dose of tongue-in-cheek humour. “Lord Help Me Be the Kind of Person (My Dog Thinks I Am)” is the most sincere prayer I’ve heard anyone say in a long time.

In “Grandma’s God”, a 60s child recalls how his grandmother’s faith kept him on the straight and narrow when the rest of his generation were trying out any path to spiritual enlightenment they could find.

Soundtrack

Musically, it cleverly alludes to the psychedelic/pseudo-spiritual soundtrack of that era. If George Harrison were alive, he’d probably sue. But country music with sitars; what’s not to like?

It’s the album’s title track, however, that’s had the most attention – mostly because of its chorus: “Jesus is coming/and boy, is he p*ssed,” (being American it means angry, not drunk).

Predictably, nearly all the pundits who’ve commented on this song have been too preoccupied with the ‘bad’ word in the chorus to notice its serious side. It’s a damning indictment of many of society’s ills – injustice, corruption in high office and the destruction of the environment, to name a few.

Jesus Is Coming is an appealing mixture of the serious and the light-hearted, with fine musicianship and lots of ‘down home’ wisdom. A great album – and that’s coming from someone who isn’t a big country music fan.

• Buy The Bellamy Bros – Jesus Is Coming from amazon.co.uk by clicking this link and Christian Aid will receive some of the proceeds

Time now for some high culture. The Welsh Baroque soprano Elin Manahan Thomas has been on our television screens quite a bit recently; as a guest on the Heaven & Earth show, and also as co-presenter – along with Aled Jones – of the BBC’s Cardiff Singer of the World contest.

Elin has just released her debut solo album, Eternal Light, on which she’s accompanied by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, under the baton of Harry Christophers.

The collection of arias includes “Dell’Aura Al Sussurrar” (aka “Spring” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons), Handel’s “Lascia Ch’io Pianga” (as heard in Harrods’ television adverts) and Vivaldi’s “Nulla In Mundo Pax Sincera” (from the film Shine).

The English counter-tenor Robin Blaze joins her on Montiverdi’s “Pur Ti Miro”, the album’s closing track. Elin has a voice like an angel, and Eternal Light is an hour of sheer delight.

• Buy Elin Manahan Thomas – Eternal Light from amazon.co.uk by clicking this link and Christian Aid will receive some of the proceeds

Michael Omartian is quite a legend - and not just in Christian music. He was the first record producer to have a US Number One hit single in three consecutive decades (the 70s, 80s and 90s), and produced hits for Donna Summer, the Jacksons, Michael Bolton, Rod Stewart and many more.

He also once played keyboards for Steely Dan, and his long-deleted solo Christian recordings are like gold dust these days.

Recently, Michael’s been helping his offspring break into the business. He’s just produced Learn to Fly, the debut offering from Prelude – a group made up of Michael’s daughter Amanda, plus Rachel Hockett and Kara Tualatai.

Replicas

Christian music is often accused of creating ‘safe’ replicas of whoever’s big on the mainstream music scene. If anyone wanted to throw such accusations at Prelude, they’d have lots to point to. Here we have three girls – one black, one white and one somewhere in between.

We’ve got catchy R&B-pop songs with syrupy harmonies and ‘empowering’ lyrics. The only thing stopping Prelude from being the Christian Sugababes is that they couldn’t do stroppy if they tried.

Look at them: the big smiles, the flowery dresses, butterflies on the CD cover, for goodness’ sake! Or maybe that’s the point: a Christian Sugababes wouldn’t be stroppy, but all sweetness and niceness instead. Whatever…

Learn to Fly opens with a cheery cover of the Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out” and ends on a worshipful note with “Make My Heart Your Home” followed by a medley of hymns (“Abide With Me”, “Be Still My Soul” and “It Is Well”). It’s all very nice, but didn’t quite fill the Mutya-shaped hole in my heart.

• Buy Prelude – Learn to Fly from amazon.co.uk by clicking this link and Christian Aid will receive some of the proceeds

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