Well, here we are again - another Delirious? album to make it's way to the front of the shelves of Christian retailers. We've been here before, we know the view, but somehow something's different this time around. Maybe it's the fact that this is the band's eighth studio album, or simply because the band have been travelling so far and wide of late, but there's a massive sense of urgency about the album, a still, small voice that declares with maximum passion that now is the time for us to get on with the job of seriously following Christ.

But there's a warning that comes with The Mission Bell. Hearing it might be a pleasant experience - with all the usual quality tunes and anthems that you've come to expect from the band - but there's a message and a challenge at its heart that could - and should - change your life. Are you ready to hear it?

Available from MusiChristian.com

ChristianityToday gave the album, a brilliant 4¹/² out of 5 - Read the review online at ChristianityToday.com

+ martin, stu g

Stronger

Stronger was a real band effort. It started as two separate songs: Martin had recorded a voice and piano idea in his living room; Stu G and Jon had worked on a demo at the warehouse. Martin’s lyric seemed to fit better in Stu’s more melancholic melody, and Stronger was born. A song that declaring the way of unity and undying love. A clever little change from minor to major at the end with a choir singing their hearts out creates a trademark Delirious moment… enjoy.

Now Is The Time

It was January 05 and the beginning of a new year. This song simply started as an encouragement for our own people at church to believe we were a ‘city on a hill’ and that the lives we live do make a difference in our community. The God we believe in really is alive and wants to transform us and to take responsibility for this generation and not to compromise on the call of God. We asked our friend Matt Redman to help us finish the song and his ideas were timely and inspired. We re-recorded this song at the last minute, as we wanted a more exciting version after playing it live a few times. The lyrics set the tone for the whole record as we explore the theme of mission and what it means to be a true follower of God.

Solid Rock

Stu G had been working on a demo that was simply a combination of guitar riffs, starting with an old Dobro and exploding into a big electric chorus. However there were no lyrics so he gave an mp3 to Martin who sent it back with the first verse and chorus written. He’d been pondering the old hymn “On Christ The Solid Rock”. The resulting song is a real declaration of intent to stand firm no matter what.

All This Time

Many of the songs on The Mission Bell have quite gutsy/challenging lyrics.

All This Time started life as a fast song about how the world is watching us… warts ‘n’ all. For many people we are the window onto God’s world…..God’s TV. Just as in the song Now Is The Time we’re thinking about the fact that our time has come…this is it! This is our life right here, right now. “We’ve never known a time like this and we don’t want to let you down.”

Miracle Maker

November 2004, Phoenix, Arizona; With the sound check over, Martin and Stu G remain on the stage playing a new chord sequence over and over. Martin says, ”Stu will you remember that?” Stu says “yes” but doesn’t really know!

January 2005, ICC Studios Eastbourne; In the middle of The Mission Bell sessions, Martin says “ I’d love to write a song called Miracle Maker. Can you remember that Phoenix chord sequence?” Stu G says, “I think so” (but actually could only remember the first few chords)! About an hour later Miracle Maker is written and recorded…one of the best moments we’ve ever had in the studio.

Putting ourselves in the place of the crippled man by the pool at Bethesda, waiting for the waters to stir, finally meeting the miracle maker… we still get goose bumps thinking about it.

Here I Am Send Me

Someone once told us that all we need is a tiny glimpse of God, and our lives would change forever. What did Saul see on the road to Damascus? What did Isaiah see in his vision of heaven? What was it like to be Ezekiel prophesying to the valley of bones? What we do know is that once they experienced these things they were never the same again. Just a glimpse, that’s all we need to be able to say “Here I am, send me.”

Fires Burn

The opening line was inspired by watching the movie ‘Lord of the Rings’ when they lit the beacons on the mountaintops to gather the armies.

There aren’t many songs about the return of Jesus and it is a healthy reminder that heaven is the destination and one day we will meet Jesus in the air and he will take us home. The middle 8 at the end was added at the 11th hour with the bouncing string line. A simple song with a great piano riff, the whole band sounding like we were going to war.

Our God Reigns

The chorus was around for over a year hoping that some sing along verses would come and it would become more of a big church song. This however was not meant to be and we began to be deeply stirred and moved by the great social problems of our time. Highlighting abortion, aids and the obsession with self, this is not a song of judgement but an admission that we’ve watched and done little to be part of the solution. The paradox in this song is that even though in some respects the church has lost the rope on bringing a Godly framework to society we still have a great God who reigns above all. This was the most uncomfortable song on the record to record and was saturated with tears.

Love Is A Miracle

This could be a ‘Miracle Maker’ part 2 in that it goes on to express more that God’s love is always miraculous. I guess a story of redemption and celebration from finding God. This song started life as something completely different and we took the drums, sped them up, changed the key and wrote a new chorus. The choir completely rock as Delirious? goes gospel for a moment.

Paint The Town Red

Martin and Tim were invited to hear the great evangelist Reinhard Bonnke speak.
One thing he said that stuck with them was “we’re gonna paint this world red with the blood of Jesus.” Martin scribbled this down and a few weeks later he had the bulk of the song written. Urgent lyrics need urgent music and so Stu G went away and brought back a verse vibe that’s forceful and definitely means business. A fitting anthem for this “army of God that is ready to die.”

Take Off My Shoes

In the Old Testament it talks about the priest going into the holy of holies to meet with God. They would tie a rope around his ankle in case the glory of God became too strong and they could pull him out if he died. In Psalm 63 it says that ‘Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself” and this song is a cry for God to invade us. The recording is virtually live as it was on the day we recorded it, just the 5 of us in a room playing beyond ourselves. We later added the final vocal, strings and shaker but what you hear is a precious moment captured on tape.

I’ll See You

An unusual song for us but we felt it should go on the record. It’s an account of someone singing a song to a loved one who is waiting in heaven. There’s almost a holy jealousy that they have met Jesus before them and so put in a request that when their life is over that they’ll take them to see him. The woo-hoo’s are the only thing Martin knew what to sing as he imagined the ecstasy of meeting his unborn child and standing face to face with Jesus. We wanted it to sound like there were angels rejoicing and so we asked our friend Moya Brennan (Clannad) to sing like an angel and she did! It’s a prayer sung in Gaelic, very mysterious and beautiful.