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Review: All Our Times – Keith Binns.

For those readers who like their theology in an applied form, All Our Times is an album that offers an abundance of it, delivered in an unapologetically confronting style.

Keith Binns, a self-described left-wing post-evangelical, is a long-time composer of songs (lyric and tune). The album offers a mix of themes: four ‘gumleaf-theology’  songs; eight songs exploring grief and loss; a communion narrative and a commisioning song inspired by the Anglican Prayer Book’s exhortation to “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord”.  The common thread throughout is Keith’s gift of stepping into to the shoes of other faith-travellers and articulating the lesson “life’s a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved”, as poignantly sung in the refrain Says Murleen.

The collection of songs has been self-produced using some smart software and a small group of talented supporting muscians.  I believe one of its features is the absence of the Stock, Aitken & Waterman polish that sold Kylie Minogue to the world – but didn’t help us think about her lyric – admittedly that may have been a blessing!

Keith’s background includes training as an opera singer and his rich baritone voice, which my mother would compare favourably with her idol Robert Coleman, delivers each lyric in a rich tibre and clear diction.  This will be a bonus for listeners with some hearing loss or who never passed the crash course in deciphering the 1980’s songs of James Reyne.

Keith’s songwriting is unusual in lyric and theology, and in my experience is as far from the lush prosperity-praise Hillsong style as it is possible to travel - though, like all Hillsong albums, the majority of these songs are not designed for congregational singing.  Keith is unashamedly applying faith to the everyday and offers us an articulation of those things about which Christians rarely sing: mental illness; sexual abuse; doubt, greed and loneliness.

Readers who have kids might also consider purchasing this album.  My kids regularly sing along to some of the songs – particularly enjoying the funky sound of the Haven’t Kept My Tithe Up Blues.  Don’t be fooled though, as with the best kids songs and childrens talks, there is plenty for the grownups to think about.

Some of this group might be great for using with older Sunday School kids or Youth Group – my 11 year old, demonstrating a glaring lack of respect for Keith’s copyright claims, has changed Keith’s lyric “as a parent loves their children, God loves you” to “as my Mum loves me heaps, God loves me”.

As mentioned above, the majority of songs are explorations, reflections, narratives or received wisdom about issues of grief or loss.  Keith variously articulates:

·        The transformative healing of Christ as experienced by a victim of sexual abuse in I’m a Princess in the Kingdom;  

·        The injustice of world poverty and sacrifice in Mrs Allarin – “Mrs Allarin lives in the Phillipines in a shed without table or bed / cries for her children who sleep on the floor”;

·        The lament of an adult whose parent has been lost to stroke in I Want (my Mother back) – “the mind that rejoiced in cryptic crosswords now finds it hard to do the simplest things….tends to get you down after a while”;

·        Another ballad observing that it is “hard to lose a great Christian friend, especially before her time” in Great One; and

·        The cry to God we all offer when grappling (again) with the problem of evil in Where are you Lord?

To order the CD contact Keith Binns directly by email to binns@hotkey.net.au or by telephone on 1800 624 984 or (02) 4821 9248. It costs $20 plus $3 postage. You can get more information about Keith on his web site: www.keithbinns.netfirms.com.

Jennifer Collier