It didn't take me long to get into this album. It is one of those instant hits kind of albums. The distinctive vocals of Jamie Hill are all around this album but his wonderful vocal really bounds out during the thumping track 'I Hear The Drums'. Be prepared to clap, jump and stamp your feet to this track which is a no holds bar kind of worship song. 'Our Light Has Come' has a fist pumping chorus, whilst in Arise' and 'Calvary' you have to stop what you are doing and get lost in worship with them. I love the tone and sound of 'Not Giving up'. There are so many strong songs on this album and actually one of the strongest points on the album is how varied in style and sound they are. When I took a step back from the album I soon discovered why I enjoyed it so much. The songs and album stands out from other worship albums, not necessarily for being a new fresh modern sound that is 'on trend', but for it's lyrics. These words are not only powerful, they have been thought about and taken time over to help the worshipper in their personal worship time. It's this that makes the songs something very special. It could be said some songs out there are all about the musical sound and the lyrics are a second thought, I name no names. Yet on this album it's all about giving people words to explore the Majesty of God.

This new live album written by people from The Message proclaims one thing: Jesus is the only one who can save. As I listened to the first track I sensed this may just be another energetic yet generic praise and worship album. What I actually discovered throughout The Message In A Bottle was that I was being taken on a journey. The first spoken word track leads into four great songs offering praise and worship to God, with two lively songs developing into two slower songs for an opportunity to reflect. The next spoken track "How Can I Not Got" is raw, poetic, thought-provoking and starts into a series of songs in which we ask how can we journey deeper with God and bring light to this world? This section also includes "Kingdom Song", a personal favourite because it's reminiscent of the acoustic pop-punk offerings of my own youth. The next spoken track "The Message Is Jesus" is from Andy Hawthorne himself, and reveals his passion for both The Message and 'the message' alike. The final four tracks are an acknowledgement of Jesus, his sacrifice and our subsequent desire to journey with him. This album has been put together very cleverly, is performed by a talented group of musicians and sung by a variety of vocalists, keeping it fresh and different throughout. Listening to this album encouraged me to ask questions about my own work and personal practices, and ultimately it's reminded me that there is an amazing message to share throughout the word: 'Jesus is the only one who can save'.