Robin Mark
This City These Streets
Vital Records
11 tracks @ 55:52

Vital Records has entered into a partnership with record companies in the United Kingdom. The purpose is to bring to American audiences music from the UK that hasn’t been released in the States. What a great idea.

One of the first releases through this collaboration is from Robin Mark. You may be familiar with his record “Revival in Belfast.” He was also named the GMA’s International Artist of the Year for 2004. While Robin resides in Belfast, if you enjoy Celtic sounds, you won’t necessarily find those here. Occasionally you’ll hear an Irish whistle (“Revival,” “Power of the Cross”) but the overall sound is contemporary worship and praise, along the lines of Don Moen.

Lyrically the songs are fine examples of worship and praise. I did enjoy “Hanna’s Song,” obviously inspired by Hanna’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2: 1-10. While portions of the song are clearly found in the Biblical prayer, I’m not certain what inspired the faith-driven lyric, “And if the desert is my dwelling place, I want to say I will not turn back,” because it isn’t to be found in the prayer nor in Hanna’s story. While her people were, I don’t think Hanna was in the Exodus story. Also, much of Hanna’s story is about making, and then keeping, a promise to God, an aspect to the story not really reflected in this song.

The final track, “Revival (reprise)” was the most interesting. It begins with a two minute-plus forlorn instrumental, followed by over half-a-minute of silence and then becomes an old-time country gospel tune.

Also, while this is a 2005 release, all of the songs have a 1998 copyright.

If you like modern worship and praise and are looking for some “new” songs, you can safely add this CD to your collection. If you’re looking for new sounds, look somewhere else.

- Rob S.