Back in 2019 (remember that far back?) the concept of 'ruthless trust' was spoken right into my ear - literally, ask me about it some time - and from there ideas about what that could mean for me and my life began to spark. Was it about faith, institutions I'm part of, trusting myself in my body and my mind, both of which let me down quite often?

And then....2020 happened and for the first time in years I made time to write songs whilst working away at my Church role from the same office at home that housed the piano on which most of the songs I've ever written have been born. Out of that season of writing I was able to add some of my favourite ever songs to work I'd done over the last decade and sure enough there was a theme of trust, or probably more correctly dis-trust. Politicians, charlatan charismatic healing ministers, myself...everything and everyone seemed fair game. Perhaps I was (am?) having a mid-life crisis. Either way, I had a great bunch of songs come the end of a burst of righteous indignation and anger.

Negative emotions can only get you so far, though. At the heart of the album is the recognition that I, whether it's because of my inherent fallibility, my humanity, my disability, or my terrible sense of humour, cannot get through life on my own. This is not a self-help or self-cheerleading record. This is an album of songs recognising that I need my every breath from God and to be supported by the community around me in order to not only live the life I'm meant to but also so that I can aid others, too. It's about paring everything back to what is most important in life, who and what we can trust, and letting go of everything else.

I was really glad to team up with Harun Kotch to piece it all together over the latter part of 2020 and through 2021. I'm hugely grateful to him for everything, as ever. The mix is astonishingly good.

Alongside Harun and Kevin Bruchert, who I've loved working with before, we built a new team to befit the sound and vibe we were seeking. Marc James played the majority of the guitars, Jimmy Cooke the drums, both of those fine people from Verra Cruz, one of the great and criminally under-appreciated British rock bands of the last 25 years.

I was honoured, and I mean that, that Stu G and Martin Smith contributed to tracks on the album. This was a huge moment for me and what they've brought to the songs and the album elevates it hugely. These two guys were the soundtrack to my teenage and young adult years in Delirious and I was more excited than you can imagine to have them be part of a little record like mine. Roll on the D: reunion I say.

Thanks also to Thom Daugherty for guitar help and to Drew Lavyne who mastered the album and did an amazing job (and was also enthusiastic about it beyond measure).

I'm so proud of this bunch of songs. I hope it is as fun to listen to as an album as it was to make.