Evangelicals Now
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The best of Sixpence None The Richer

Beating Time

THE BEST OF SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER (CD)
www.sixpence-ntr.com

I'd wanted to hear Sixpence None The Richer for some time when The Best Of finally arrived on the doormat one busy morning.

I suppose it was really just the name that had grabbed my interest - a reference to something C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity about a boy asking his dad for sixpence so that he could buy his dad a present (the point being that the dad appreciates the gift even though he realises he is actually sixpence none the richer).

We were in a rush to get out of the house so the disc got scooped up and slotted into the player in the car. As we drove along my first thought was that we'd got the wrong disc - surely this was Catatonia? Lead singer Leigh Nash has a very pleasant and clear voice. It's quite distinct - except there are times when she sounds almost exactly like Cerys Matthews (minus the 'rrrhoad rrrhage').

All was going pretty well until we hit track eight: a cover of Abba's Dancing Queen - yuck! I just managed to keep the car on the road. Once I had regained my composure we skipped the track and drove cautiously on.

Browsing the band's website it became clear that The Best Of was actually The Last Of. After 11 years and six albums Nash is to pursue a career in motherhood - quite a step up after reaching minor celebrity status (including one hit, a trying appearance on the Letterman show, and being played at Prince Edward's wedding).

The Best Of is packed with 18 songs, including four more covers and A couple of previously unreleased tracks. If you have no other Sixpence albums, this is probably the one to get. There's plenty of variety in style and content. Some songs have an overtly Christian message but all are reasonably wholesome (if a little bland at times).

According to their website, Sixpence has always aimed to '[combine] artistic integrity and steadfast conviction in the wake of mass appeal ƒ while unashamedly presenting a philosophy of faith'. Overall, I think they've done a pretty good job.

We were listening to Sixpence in the car again yesterday. Our five-year-old was really enjoying it and asked for one track to be turned up. I'll leave you with her verdict ... In a word: fantastic!

PGDH