When Language of the Heart by the John Wright Band first hit my desk to review, I was a bit nervous. Though I've reviewed a good score of Celtic and Celtic-influenced music, adult contemporary Celtic-influenced music has never been something I was into much. I was worried that, good or bad, I wouldn't be able to do this review justice.

Fortunately, I was wrong.

With quiet melody and powerful lyric writing, the John Wright Band (John Wright on vocals, Kenny Speirs on guitar and harmony vocals, and Stewart Hardie on fiddle) sets out, in fourteen tracks, to touch the heart of the listener with messages of love, hope and inspiration.

Things get nicely underway with "Show the Way," reminding us about the toils of life, and how love can overcome and triumph at the end of the game. We hear the need for strength in the hard times of love in "Hold On."

The band does a great job of covering "How Can I Tell You" by Cat Stevens and sings of the sorrow of love lost in "We Lie."

While I could go on about the songs, it's the talent of the band that makes these melodies so powerful. From John's unique vocals, which add emotion to great lyrics, to Kenny's work on the guitar, to the way Stewart makes his fiddle sing, to the guest musicians who join them on some tracks -- these ingredients mix to create a melodic and soulful portrait of the heart.

And this coming from a guy who doesn't really like adult contemporary music.