Celtic Songs of Worship - God Above, God Below
By Chelsea 2001

The beautiful Celtic sounds of the Prairie Bible College Fine Arts Department, with Onora really reach to the listener’s heart. The hymns put to Irish music on God Above, God Below really make the songs sound not only unique, but also deeper and more poetic. The music is outstanding along with the vocals, and the lyrics that go with them are sincere expressions of prayer. The singers’ words will touch one’s heart while listening to the authentic Celtic music and worshipful songs.

The title track is my favorite because every element seems to pull together to create a memorable, outstanding song that you can sing along to. All the other tracks range from gentle hymns to quick instrumentals. For any fan of Irish music, this is a must have because of the superior quality of all aspects of the CD. Vocals, music and lyrics are all just right so you can listen to every track without skipping a song.
 

Official Site

Crave - Ways & Means
By Chelsea 2005

Crave is a new Northern Ireland-based trio of young men with a catchy sound full of upbeat guitars and driving drum beats. Their vocals are presented with a very personal feeling, driven by raw lyrics that are powerful insights into spiritual struggles and worship. They have recorded a four-track EP at Gem Studios in the fall of 2004.

The EP showcases the trio's strengths and range, as the songs move from more rock inspired songs to acoustic guitar sessions. Scott McKeown is responsible for vocals, bass and acoustic guitars, David Benson is on drums and Trevor Brimage also supplies vocals, as well as rhythm and lead guitar. Crave has a lot of potential for strong radio play, and a sound that isn't overdone promises to help them stand out in today's musical world. Highlight tracks were "In the Palm of Your Hand" and "I Fall Down" - two songs that showcase the softer and a more rock driven capabilities of the band, respectively.

The band cites musical influences that range from Foo Fighters to Keane to Creed to Radiohead. It is indeed a wide range, but the three musicians sound excellent and their sound holds up to stretch across all genres they tried for.
 

Crave is a three-piece band from the UK and their full-length debut, Carve, is an import to pick up. Each song has a verse attached to it, and the driving themes include humans as works from a divine artist and seeking answers about our relationship with this artist. The title track, "Carve," supports this element in lyrics like:

Seldom are we willing/Mind, heart, soul submitting/Carve, carve, engrave Your grace/
We're all paintings/A canvas hanging out to dry

"Sorry" is one of my favorite tracks, with raw emotion in the pleas for forgiveness and admission of wrong. The chorus is catchy and showcases the vocal talents of lead singer Scott McKeown and guitar work of Trevor Brimage. Rounding out the trio is Dave Benson, who is responsible for the drum work. The three harmonize vocally very well, creating an effective style that sets them apart from many of the alternative bands on the radio today.

With a total of eleven tracks, the entire CD is a breath of fresh air - combining meaningful praises to God and heartfelt human emotion. Some of the songs tend to be a bit lightweight in the lyric department, with redundant phrases found in other modern praise songs, but they are brief and don't take away from the rest of the album. Different musical styles mix up the songs, with organs on "Palm of Your Hand" and very different guitar arrangements in various tracks. The album does not get boring, and it's an easy addition to the alternative playlist on my iPod.

Official Crave Site