RÓNÁN JOHNSTON| MENU|

NEW ALBUM
LET'S NOT GO BACK TO EGYPT

Ronan Johnston and Emmaus announce the release of their new album "Let's not go back to Egypt", a wry reflection on things economic and spiritual in Ireland for these past couple of years.

Ten brand new tracks with a real eclectic flavour, the album begins with the title track "Let's not go back to Egypt", a romp through the American spiritual landscape recently so successfully occupied by the Blind Boys of Alabama. Then an immediate change of pace with the orchestral (and choral) "Arise Shine", lyrics taken from Isaiah 60.  From folk rock (All who are born of the Spirit) to Rock rock (I Belong), from quiet meditation of "because of the Lord's great love"
to the wig out of "Hush (and listen)" this is Emmaus back to their collective ideal of having a real wild mix on every album.
 

For old fans of the band, some of the themes of previous albums are on view here; light in darkness, hope in times of suffering, and deep yearning for God. But there are some very new challenges too. Right from the get go, the refrain (and album title) reverberates, Let's not go back to Egypt. So everyone went mad and lost their view of the eternal one while trying to get rich quick. Okay, so we blew the boom!
Let's not walk ourselves back into slavery just because we don't know what to do any more.

"As things have been slowly falling apart", says Ronan " and as we've seen the great institutions of State, business and Church come tumbling down, people have become very afraid, very anxious about the future, very unsure if they will survive. I think this album is a reminder that it is for freedom that we have been set free. We have a deep and lasting hope in Jesus, and if we stay close to Him during this time, He will take this present disaster and turn it into something great and wonderful.

So many of our songs have been about taking heart in times of darkness. This album is no exception. It just seems like the darkness is even greater than before. But his light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never put it out."