Reviews

Source: CDNow
Author: Beau Black
Date: 09 Oct 2001

Delirious? wrote a significant early chapter in the modern worship movement with Cutting Edge, which captured several years' worth of original songs. Subsequent records branched out, but never lost sight of the band's praise-and-worship roots, and Delirious? eventually re-immersed itself on Glo. Deeper -- The D:finitive Worship Experience collects the best worship cuts from Cutting Edge and the two records that followed, inspired no doubt by the success of Sparrow's other worship compilations (mainly the I Could Sing of Your Love Forever discs).

The two CDs focus mainly on songs from Cutting Edge (11 in all), including new versions of the popular "Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble?" and "I Could Sing." Both are somber, dramatic recastings that find Martin Smith's vocals sounding forced or odd -- kinda interesting, but not essential. There's also a new version of the lesser-known, but just as affecting "Lord You Have My Heart," as well as remixes of "The Happy Song" (which works fine) and "Revival Town" (which scrapes away much of that song's coolness). One new track, "Not Be Forgotten," lands somewhere between U2's "Grace" and Delirious?' own "Touch," from the Roaring Lambs project. "Come Like You Promise," a jubilant, U2-ish track released on the band's live CD, will also be new to some.

Those aside, the draw here's the stuff you've heard before (or maybe haven't but should've): The searing "Sanctify," jamming "Follow," and the dark-yet-uplifting "Jesus' Blood" lead the mid-to-uptempo stuff. "Find Me in the River" and the tender "Thank You for Saving Me" highlight the slower songs. Radio hit "Deeper" and fan faves "History Maker" and "Shout to the North" round out the two-CD set's list. Deeper isn't a must-have -- unless you don't have the band's earlier records, which are fairly represented here. And the new recordings and remixes should satiate die-hards eagerly awaiting the stateside release of Audio Lessonover next year.