This live album from Freddy Rodriguez was recorded at the Champions Center in Las Vegas where he is worship leader, and it begs the question, “Can really predictable worship music still be really good?” If this doesn’t sound like an Israel Houghton album, nothing does. But Rodriguez–who has a wonderful voice that at points sounds strikingly similar to Houghton’s–is very talented, and this album is remarkably clean-sounding, vaulting Rodriguez into the top tier of this subset of praise and worship. Light in the Darkness opens with a glitzy gospel tune and ends with one, and in between listeners are treated to a straightforward set of songs that range from brassy, upbeat praise to mid-tempo, pop-infused tunes to slower ballads. The album is most interesting when the songs offer, in a nod to Rodriguez’s heritage, Latino flourishes. It’s especially enjoyable, for instance, when he switches to Spanish halfway through “Lord You Are Amazing.” Rodriguez is pretty amazing here, too.
