UK quintet Delirious? has become widely known for their worshipful music. In fact, chances are one of your favorite worship songs could have been penned by Delirious? and you wouldn't even know. You most likely sing some of their tunes on Sunday mornings in church or in other worship services. So with Delirious' popularity going nowhere but up, it makes sense Sparrow would release Deeper - The d:finitive Worship Experience, the worship fan's ideal collection of Delirious? favorites.

With 25 songs, including one new song, several new versions of classics, and a remix, Deeper is packed with 2 CDs full of serious worship. Disc one opens with "Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble?," a nine minute new version of the famous song, followed also by a new version of "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever." The only problem with both of these songs is that they're drawn out a little longer than needed, where "Did You Feel..." should have stopped minutes earlier than it does.

One of the problems the album may suffer from, however, is it basically serves as a greatest hits collection for the band, which hurts the flow of the album. Deeper is not just a collection of worship songs, it follows music the band has recorded over a span of almost a decade. Some tracks are unmistakably dated and it's clear to hear the progression the band has made over the years. The tracks shift from the older, unreleased version of "I'm Not Ashamed," to a later 90's mix of "Deeper," where the production is evidently better and the band's instrumentation is tighter.

"Not Forgotten" is the new track on the project. From the opening guitar feedback, the listener can see the difference in the band's more recent sound. This remains true until the melodic song breaks into a choir-driven chorus that is familiar to a lot of the band's previous worship songs.

A remix of the non-traditional Delirious? classic "The Happy Song" opens the second disc, followed by the upbeat plea "Come, Like You Promise." "Revival Town," which seems to get the remix treatment often, appears next with yet another rendition. This acoustic-driven version fits nicely and is followed up by a string of ballads including the amazing "Jesus' Blood."

For the Delirious? fan, it'd be wrong to miss this release. For those ready to be introduced to the band, to get a handle for where the guys have been and where they are going, it's perfect. For those looking for a solid Delirious? record or worship record, this may or may not be for you. Regardless, Deeper - the d:finitive worship experience is a good collection, despite its mild flaws.

- Review date: 5/5/02, written by John DiBiase