Alliance Direct #24

Steps, S Club 7, B*Witched, Britney Spears, Billie, Backstreet Boys... the list goes on. Pure Pop is back in fashion. Bedrooms the length and bredth of the land are adorned by posters and posable models of favourite groups. But what of the materialistic, live-for-the-moment message that these pop phenomenoa preach. Enter V*Enna - two girls, one Brit, one American, with the desire to reach the kids for Christ and to challenge them to grow in faith not just to follow the crowd...

...A single launched in February 2000 in the States was well received and laid the foundation for Where I Wanna Be, their first full-length release. The title track sets the tone with in your face verses, sweet middle section and a Steps-style chorus all over a thumping drum rhythm track and driving bass line. Make That Noize is party time V*Ennna style complete with call and response chorus that 's bound to go down a storm live - there's a guest appearance from Raze's rapper J'Marc Davis. Do You Wanna Know? tackles the problem with pre-marital sex; Sometimes - a gentle ballad based on Jesus' claim "I am the way, the truth and the life"; Best Friends - a funky reminder of the true value of friendship. Why Did I Let You Go? mourns missed chances to share the Gospel while Don't Get Left Behind is I Wish We'd All Been Ready for a younger generation.

Where I Wanna Be has got everything you'd expect from a chart album - stong melodies and inescapable hooks, infectious dance beats and, even better, through all the fun and enjoyment the message comes through loud and clear.