Hiding Place (CD - 2004)

Selah: Allan Hall (vocals, piano); Todd Smith , Nicol Sponberg (vocals).

Additional personnel: Biff Watson (acoustic guitar); Jerry McPherson, Jakk Kincaid (electric guitar); Gordon Mote (organ); David Hungate (bass guitar); Steve Brewster (drums); Eric Darken (percussion); Paul Mills, Scat Springs, Vicki Hampton, Kim Fleming.

On its fourth recording, Selah don't step far from their unusual yet successful formula of marrying traditional hymns to contemporary pop and blue-eyed R&B arrangements, African folk songs, Irish melodies, and modern-day praise & worship songs. Siblings Todd Smith and Nicol Sponberg were born to missionaries and raised in central Africa, while Allan Hall was reared in Nashville. The trio met at Belmont College and recorded their first album, Be Still My Soul, for $2000. The rest is history: They've earned four Dove Awards and played Carnegie Hall, as well as holding the dubious distinction of playing on political evangelist Pat Robertson's 700 Club program. Hiding Place's best moments are in its traditional songs, such as "Essengo," a Congolese folk song sung in Kituba, while the old nugget "By and By" is arranged as a chanted African singalong, making it fresh and interesting. However, the trio's attempt at a funky rock arrangement -- which may be edgy for conservative churchgoers -- is almost laughably bad as pop music. The arrangement of "Through It All" is respectable, but largely because Sponberg finally cuts loose a little, thanks to being prodded by a host of real gospel singers in the background. Also, it is interesting to note that Selah's "Irish" tune, "You Raise Me Up," is actually about as new age a Celtic melody and arrangement as is possible to put on tape. As a marketing gimmick, each member gets a solo track tagged on as a bonus at the end of the set to promote upcoming solo projects (all to be released simultaneously). Ultimately, it comes down to whether you dig this group on a basic level or not. If you do, this will be another delight. If you find Selah's music rather bland, Hiding Place will do nothing to change your view. ~ Thom Jurek

On its first several albums, Christian pop trio Selah delivered an unusual mix of straight-ahead faith-based pop and traditional African music. As the children of a missionary father in the Congo, group members Todd Smith and Nicol Sponberg became intimately familiar with the exotic sounds of their adopted homeland, a fact that adds an easy-flowing authenticity to even the most unlikely stylistic match-ups. On HIDING PLACE, the siblings and their friend Allan Hall continue to draw from a wonderfully wide palette, performing everything from sweeping, Celine Dion-esque ballads ("You Raise Me Up") to hard-edged funk rock ("There Is Power in the Blood") with unfaltering passion and aplomb. minimize