Louder Than The Music

Here is the next installment of the new LTTM feature called 'My Favourite Albums', where we ask a Christian artist about their all time favourite Christian album and also their favourite Christian album of the moment. In this latest guest blog in the series, keyboard player Mike Sandeman from the band Phatfish tells us about his favourite albums.

Charlie Peacock - The Secret of Time

As a teenager in the late 80s and early 90s I used to listen to a lot of the CCM stuff coming out of the States, much of which had that certain Nashville pop/rock sound, and much of which was somewhat generic (although there were a few absolute gems). I belonged to the Word Christian Record Club and saw The Secret Of Time by Charlie Peacock advertised. When it arrived it took me several listens to work out if I liked it, because it was quite different from so much of the other CCM that was around at the time. However, over the next few months I must have played that thing a hundred times! There's something so creative about Charlie's writing - the non-cliched lyrics which point the listener to Heaven and the nature of real love, whilst reminding us of the futility of much of what the world offers.

True love doesn't come and go
Here today then gone tomorrow
Doesn't speak the wicked word
That breaks the heart in two
Doesn't renegotiate
What it knows is true
Doesn't give up, give in, throw it all away

The music too is innovative - Charlie's jazz roots are discernible with tight musicianship and quirky but unobtrusive arrangement ideas that really serve the memorable melodies. Twenty-one years later it hasn't dated too badly and will remain a permanent fixture on my iPod.
Favourite song: Almost Threw It All Away


Cathy Burton - Source of Every Hour

We've had this on in the car with kids a lot as we've traveled round the place this year and we all like it. I've always enjoyed Cathy's voice and her singer-songwriter albums have some quality songs. This is much more of an out and out worship album with quite a few songs that could easily be sung in churches (probably some already are...?) The songs are a good mixture of declaring to God how wonderful He is and also testifying to His presence in our lives. The arrangements are straight forward and work well, and the production is polished so that the songs come through very clearly with fairly minimal 'ear candy'. An uplifting album.
Favourite song: Refuge