Category Archives: Reviews

HYMNS & HARMONY ISLAND IMAGE RECORDS, IIR007 Reveiwed by Paul Davis What a gem! If ever devotional repertoire received from generations-past conjured up the well-beloved nostalgia of ‘tried-and-tested’ chapel-life, it is that of the celebrated evangelical hymnal. Nowadays, as this great hymnal set from the Harcus Family illustrates – the material is far from dead-and-buried. This …read more

BEAUTIFUL ISLAND IMAGE RECORDS, IIR006 Reveiwed by Paul Davis Christine and Michael Harcus songs are insightful and deep, seeped in devotion. This album deserves to hit big.  Here’s a great contemporary folk-sound from the talented song-stylist Michael Harcus from the Orkney Islands. A quality performer with rich-deep, treacle-tones his gospel-balladeering style is biographical and engaging. Penned …read more

TAKE A MOMENT ISLAND IMAGE RECORDS, IIR004 Rating 8/10 Reveiwed by Geoff Howlett Michael Harcus and his wife Christine live on the island of Westray, which is one of the northern isles in Orkney. In 1998 he released his first album called “There Is”, and received invites to play in prisons, church’s and events. Since then, …read more

GREEN PASTURES ISLAND IMAGE RECORDS, IIR003 Rating 7/10 Reveiwed by Dave Deeks Until a couple of weeks ago I was new to the name of Michael Harcus. Then Geoff Howlett reviewed his latest CD in last month’s NFN, I saw two of Michael‘s songs in the NCM Euro charts, and this earlier ‘Harcus’ CD popped through …read more

ONE DAY I’LL KNOW ISLAND IMAGE RECORDS, IIR005 Rating 8/10 Reveiwed by Tom Lennie – Cross Rhythms Review This north Scotland songsmith has released seven full length recordings in the past dozen years or so – this one, number five in the chain – somehow got missed in the review process. The 12-song collection is …read more

“BEAUTIFUL” BY MICHAEL HARCUS ISLAND IMAGE RECORDS, IIR006 Reviewed by Iain MacDonald This is the 6th album from Westray singer-songwriter, Michael Harcus and although the others have been hugely popular, the production quality of “Beautiful” lifts it onto a new plane altogether. The theme is exactly what you’d expect. Michael is an upfront Gospel singer and there’s …read more

MICHAEL HARCUS WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS HYMNS & HARMONY ISLAND IMAGE RECORDS IIR 007 Rating 8/10 Reviewed by Tom Lennie The north isle of Westray is the spiritual jewel among Orkney’s 17 inhabited islands; its evangelical heritage dating back to the turn of the 19th century. Over 200 years later 30-something Harcus is one living …read more