Continuing on my quest for the “first” here is another very early Christian rock album. I knew nothing of this album until a few months ago when it came across my desk and I’ll admit the cover didn’t make me rush to listen to it. You think I would know at this point that album covers mean nothing. This is without a doubt one of the best Christian rock albums I have ever heard. The band were led by keyboard player Joy Webb and got their start when they were featured on the BBC Tonight television show. The band mainly consisted of Salvation Army singers from the William Booth Memorial Training College, Denmark Hill in London. After appearing on TV they got a record deal and released a couple singles with great success. “It’s An Open Secret” made it to #32 and “A Starry Night” made it to #34 on the British charts. This is their first of 2 full length album and it’s a rather oddly structured album with Side A being all original tunes and Side B being Christmas carols. The album has 16 tracks which was great value for money at the time, something that would disappear until CD’s many years later. The album was picked up by Epic Records for U.S. release in 1967 but alas the album didn’t do as well in the U.S. If for no other reason you listen to this album you HAVE to listen to their rendition of “O Little Town Of Bethlehem” set to the music of The House of the Rising Sun. It is without a doubt one of the greatest moments of Christian music that no one ever heard.
Tracklist
1 – Keep Me In Your Love – 2:36
2 – He Is Near – 2:46
3 – No Time To Lose – 2:43
4 – Where Will It End – 2:24
5 – Long Lost Cause – 3:01
6 – Friend For You – 2:32
7 – There Will Be God – 3:00
8 – Love That’s All Around – 2:31
9 – We Three Kings Of Orient Are – 2:28
10 – Silent Night, Holy Night – 2:31
11 – The Little King Jesus – 2:42
12 – O Little Town Of Bethlehem – 3:31
13 – Away In A Manger – 2:27
14 – Mary’s Boy Child – 2:37
15 – Do You Hear What I Hear? – 3:23
16 – The Holly And The Ivy – 1:31
Credits
Joy Webb – guitar, keyboards, vocals
Peter Dalziel – guitar, bass, vocals
Bill Davidson – guitar
Wycliffe Noble – drums
Sylvia Gair – tambourine, vocals
Companies, etc.
Manufactured By – Epic Records
Manufactured By – CBS Inc.
Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Pitman
