PREVIOUS REVEWS - the best of contemporary Christian music
ann trainor reviews open in Worship Link May 2001

yfriday - open
the best of contemporary music
Ann Trainor 3.5.01

A studio album which is nonetheless raw, rocky and rich in variety and vitality - this is the exciting sound of yfriday's new album 'Open'. Full of exuberant anthemic (did I just invent a new word?!) praise - with the occasional mellower sound thrown in for good measure - the songs are evidence of the band's development over the last couple of years, since the release of their first album, 'Rainmaker'.

In that time they have gained valuable experience through regularly playing and leading worship at youth events and festivals across Britain and Ireland like Spring Harvest, Cross Rhythms, Easter People, Harvest, IXth Hour, New Horizons, Worship Together, The Edinburgh Festival and southern Ireland's in:fusion - yes, they've been busy !! They also supported Noel Richards on part of his 'Calling all Nations' tour and Delirious at the recent NE:one event in Newcastle-on-Tyne (I was there for that gig - it was great!!)

All the songs are penned by Ken Riley, the lead vocalist, and again there is clear evidence not just of Ken's great voice, but of the maturing and mastery of his song-writing craft. Just when you think you've heard all the 'usual' lyrics that tend to appear in Christian songs, you come across something that grabs your attention, like this line: 'you ....autographed my spirit with your grace...' Meditate on that a moment and it'll bring a smile to your face!! 'Carry Me' turns the idiomatic accusatory-like 'Where were You when I needed You?' on its head, and gently provokes us to the more soul-searching ' 'Where was I when I needed You, watering wisdom down with gold....' Another song I think the words are beautiful in is 'Shelter', which contains such lyrics as ' When the bubble breaks that stems my tide of shame, and when the lights exposed the cracks within the pane, You bring me shelter' .... Good stuff that !!

Recorded on the Survivor record label, which describes itself as bringing 'worship for a new generation ...freedom and fresh creativity ... with passion and abandonment......', this is one album that 'does exactly what it says on the tin' as it were. Full of melodic and lyrical hooks, this really is the best of contemporary Christian music.

Well done, lads!! Look forward to hearing you live again in the HQ.........

By Ann Trainor