Iona Beyond These Shores CD

Although not purely a concept album like 'Book of Kells', the album has several themes upon which much of the material is based. The title track is based around words from Psalm 139, was written at a time when the band were searching for the way forward after the departure of founder member David Fitzgerald.Dave purchased a book called 'Celtic Fire', a book which amongst other things contains the story of St. Brendan and the voyage he reputedly made across the Atlantic ocean in the 6th century with 14 monks in a coracle.Dave Bainbridge and the other members of the band soon became fascinated by this epic story of faith and obedience to God and how it seemed to tie in with the band's thinking at that time.

Iona: Joanne Hogg (vocals); Dave Bainbridge (various instruments).
Iona: Joanne Hogg (vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards); Mike Haughton (vocals, flute, whistle, recorder, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Dave Bainbridge (strings); Nick Beggs (bass guitar); Terl Bryant (percussion).
Personnel: Joanna Hogg (vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards); Mike Haughton (vocals, flute, tin whistle, recorder, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Robert Fripp (guitar); Dave Bainbridge (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, steel guitar, nylon-string guitar, piano, keyboards, programming); Troy Donockley (E-bow, Uilleann pipe); Fiona Davidson (celtic harp); Pete Whitfield (violin, viola); Mansell Morgan, Francis Cummings, Frank VanEssen (violin); Richard Williamson (viola); Anna Frazer (cello); Terl Bryant (keyboards, drums, bass drum, bongos, cymbals, rainsticks, tambourine, triangle, bells, gong, wind chime); Nick Beggs (5-string bass, fretless bass, Chapman stick).
Additional personnel: Troy Donockley (whistle); Dave Bainbridge (oboe); Fiona Davidson, Robert Fripp, Pete Whitfield, Frank VanEssen.
Audio Mixer: Nigel Palmer.
Recording information: Moles Studio, Bath, Somerset, England (05/1993-10/1993); St. Anne Church, Manchester, England (05/1993-10/1993); The Cutting Room, Manchester, England (05/1993-10/1993).
Photographers: Theresa Wassif; Paul Yates.
Unknown Contributor Role: Terl Bryant.

Q (2/94, p.92) - 3 Stars - Good - "...it's rare that a record has its eyes set so clearly--and literally--on heaven...."