No, I haven't heard of this band either. Yet 'The Mission Bell' is their eighth album and will help me fill an obviously embarassing gap in my musical education.

Delirious? are indeed a band on a mission, they are one of our top Christian rock outfits and have for the last decade produced pleasantly engaging albums and with a fair degree of international success.

It's not clear exactly when these guys got religion but it seems that a near-fatal car crash in 1995 was a turning-point for singer Martin Smith and bass player Jon Thatcher.

Fortunately, the music can be enjoyed on a fairly superficial (i.e. non-conformist) level even if you don't want to be converted to their particular cause.

Delirious? have Brit-pop leanings, but in places sound like Simple Minds or U2 whilst lacking those bands' sometimes overblown production values. Essentially this is guitar-driven rock with memorable choruses and good songwriting.

Praise the Lord, and see them live when they tour the UK in December.

****

Review by David Randall

Here I Am Send Me
© 2005 Furious? Records. All rights reserved.

Artist website

***** Out of this world | **** Pretty damn fine |
*** OK, approach with caution unless you are a fan |
** Instant bargain bin fodder | * Ugly. Just ugly