If ‘Cutting Edge 2’ represented a shift in emphasis for the Cutting Edge band, the follow-up was a fundamental shift which altered the course of the band from there on in. From the opening of ‘Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble’, it is apparent that the band have left behind the approach of going into the studio and recording straightforward versions of songs that could be sung in churches. The opening track is lengthy, carefully arranged, and only of use for singing with big crowds. None-the-less, it sounds fantastic, even now. ‘I’ve Found Jesus’ is more straightforward, but similarly un-congregational. ‘Oh Lead Me’ is far simpler, and achievable on a small scale.The second half (or ‘side’ for those who remember the cassette versions) is structured in much the same way. ‘Shaken Up’ and ‘I’m Not Ashamed’ are great songs written for performance, and ‘Find Me In The River’ is a quieter, gentler end.
The album as a whole is much more ambitious than its predecessors, and in a sense, it sets a template for everything that came afterwards. According to the history of Delirious?, the band made no decision to go full time until after the release of ‘Cutting Edge 4’, but it’s hard to believe the thought hadn’t crossed their mind by this stage.
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