Music : Kingdom of Comfort

Rating: - Standard issue delirious?
`Kingdom of Comfort' has been hailed as a return to form with renewed purpose for delirious? Sadly, despite having its moments, for most of this album delirious? seem to be a band whose day has gone, trying desperately to regain some momentum. Any hope of connecting again with the cultural mainstream in which `King of Fools' and `Mezzamorphis' once so proudly swam seems to have been abandoned with an album aimed squarely at the Christian sub-culture. Many of the songs plod where delirious? once soared and the lyrics confuse where once they inspired. Why is God smiling when our hearts are broken? Does the Spirit really teach us to distance ourselves from the world when we live our dreams and sing a new song?

`Give it what you've got' comes on like a glammed up version of Maroon 5. The lyrics are hardly literature - "You've got to give it, give it, give it what you've got" - but at least this is a song that's got someplace to go and isn't wasting any time getting there. `Stare the monster down' brings a nicely propulsive 80s beat to express a desperate hopefulness in God's loving compassion despite our all evidence to the contrary. `Wonder' offers up a hymn from a life turned inside out by an encounter with God and is standard issue delirious? as are `How sweet the name' and `All God's children' the former given some edge with digitally manipulated vocals and sturdy power chords to wake the listener from their reverie, and the latter a good anthemic singalong that's not even derailed by the use of a children's choir. `We give you praise' and `My soul sings' offer the sound of a thousand uninspired modern worship songs.

This is not a bad album as such, more a disappointment. Delirious? used to be Cutting Edge. Not any more.

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Rating: - Great music, an even greater message!
Warning: this album is a grower. I really didn't like it at first, it didn't really grab me. But after a few listens, I absolutely love it! What a great album! I have not listened to anything else for a week. As you would expect, the musicianship is top-class, this band really play at the top of their game. But the real plus point is the message; we need to stop living our lives of comfort and start making a difference to this world! It's great when a worship album matches what you are hearing week in and week out at your own church! This album is a real blessing! A strong set of songs, especially the title track, Wonder and Break the Silence; buy it; its wonderful! And make sure you take on its central message!

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Rating: - It just gets better and better
They have been going for thirteen years, but each new album that Delirious? makes goes into a league of its own. The new album, "Kingdom of Comfort", their ELEVENTH studio album, doesn't break this chain - it extends it even further. Each album has its own unique qualitites and incredible stories attached to it; their previous album, "The Mission Bell", was all about (obviously) mission, letting go of everything and following Jesus, wherever he leads you. The new album moves slightly away from the worship and concentrates on real-life stories - very hard-hitting stories - emanating from places like India, where the band went from feeding slum kids to staying in a five-star hotel. They have described this album as being the "most uncomfortable" yet.

The twelve songs on this album are truly amazing, each one a gift in itself. Delirious? have proved once and for all that they are one of the best bands around, even if mainstream artists were included. As this album is released, I'll be hoping their next album is just as stunning as this one. And I know it will be.