Ishmael – The Charge Of The Light Brigade – 1975

I know you’ve always said I wish Ishmael United did an album with After The Fire. OK no one ever actually said that but here it is anyway. This is a fantastic album. It has that quirky Ishmael sound a lot of us would grow to love. You probably never heard of this album but there’s a reason. As explained by Ken Scott (The Archivist by Ken Scott, 4th Edition)…

“Probably one of the most controversial Ishmael albums and banned from a large chain of Christian bookshops due to the song content. The lyrics graphically announced of the dangers of occult, the stupidity of preaching to seagulls and the problems of Church unity. Oh yes, and the first and last album that is likely to contain a song called ‘I am just a Charismatic’. The Ishmael ‘dry humour’ which was added to help lighten some of the subject matter proved to be very unfunny to the less jovial Christians of the day.”

Well that explains that. Low and behold it has a Rock & Roll song., “Sixth Virgin” which id a style we never heard from Ishmael or ATF for that matter. Personally my favourite track is the ballad “Spiritual Stagnation” which was years ahead in it’s styling, remember it was 1975.

Tracklist
1 – Charge Of The Light Brigade – 3:40
2 – Spiritual Stagnation – 4:21
3 – Mission To Seagulls – 3:21
4 – Simon And The Gypsy – 3:12
5 – I Am Just A Charismatic – 2:50
6 – Laodecean Church – 3:18
7 – Christian Straitjacket – 3:18
8 – Sixth Virgin – 3:32
9 – King Of Glory – 5:10
10 – Amen And Praise De Lord – 5:20

Credits
Design – Dave Gillard (2), Geoff Gillard
Songwriter – Ian (alias Ishmael)
Band – After The Fire

Companies, etc.
Published By – Thankyou Music – 1975
Published By – Word (Uk) Ltd. – 1975
Pressed By – Tranco Limited
Designed At – Gillard Bros Graphics

Bryn Haworth – Sunny Side of the Street – 1975

This is the second solo album from Bryn. He and his wife became Christians in 1974 and his subsequent albums reflected that in some way. This album was on a secular labels so it is not all in Christian content but there are Christian songs on the album. I had never heard any of Bryn’s work before “The Gap” so I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the sound I had heard that I liked so much was present here on his earlier work. This is a great album and I think if you like “The Gap” you’ll love this earlier work of his.

Tracklist
1 – Good Job – 5:00
2 – Pick Me Up – 3:22
3 – Darlin’ Cory – 3:22
4 – Dance – 3:02
5 – Peace Of Mind – 2:55
6 – Give All You’ve Got To Give – 5:10
7 – Heaven Knows – 5:28
8 – The Sunny Side Of The Street – 2:30
9 – Used – 5:17
10 – Thank The Lord – 4:45

Credits
Bryn Haworth – Guitars, Vocals
Bruce Rowland – Drums
Alan Spenner – Bass
Chris Stainton – Piano, Organ
Dave Pegg – Bass
Dave Mattacks – Drums
Pete Wingfield – Piano
Pat Donaldson – Bass
Terry Stannard – Drums
Dave Swarbrick – Fiddle
Alan Munde – Banjo
Jimmy Mullen – Guitar
Tony O’malley – Piano

Stonewood Cross – Magic Man/Brand New Love 7″ Single – 1975

This single is all we got from Stonewood Cross which is a pity because these two songs rock. While there’s tons of Jesus Music there isn’t as much of the Southern Rock from the 70’s. This is a straight out Southern Rock effort and it is very very good. This single was self released but I am very surprised a label didn’t pick it up. I guess that’s the mystery of Jesus Music. Sometimes labels jumped other times they passed and with no discernible reasoning. At least we have these two tracks to enjoy.

Tracklist
A – Magic Man – 5:58
B – Brand New Love – 6:00

Credits
Larry Walters – guitar & lead vocal
Kurt Schrotenboer – guitar & vocals
Bruce Bos – bass guitar & vocals
Jack Meyer – drums & vocals

Imperials – No Shortage – 1975

This 1975 Imperials release provided their fans with more of what they loved. This album was more socially aware of the times. The title and lead track referred to the “shortage culture” of the mid 70’s. Other tracks spoke of negative issues and how God figured into them. Some pundits actually consider “No Shortage” as their best song ever. The album won both Grammy and Dove awards. No Shortage was probably one of the most popular Christian albums of all time but keep in mind the broad target audience of the album before you rush to correct me.

Tracklist
1 – No Shortage – 2:50
2 – Give Them All To Jesus – 3:32
3 – Would You Believe In Me – 4:07
4 – Holy Spirit, Speak To Me – 3:35
5 – My Child, Welcome Home 2:57
6 – Someday (It May Be Tomorrow) – 2:22
7 – I Just Came To Praise The Lord – 3:07
8 – Let Us Love One Another – 4:50
9 – Light At The End Of The Darkness – 3:42
10 – There Must Be A Better Way – 3:46

Liberation Suite – Liberation Suite – 1975

This album was the worlds introduction to Liberation Suite. Originally from Texas they actually moved to the United Kingdom after signing with Myrrh Records. This album, was released in 1975 and their careers took off. In support of this album they toured with Malcolm and Alwyn, Barry McGuire, and Jamie Owens. I remember first hearing this album in the early 80s and was surprised by the Rock and Roll sound on some tracks. Though the band was known as a Jesus Music band they actually leaned to Rock & Roll on several tracks on this album. The thing that stands out on this album to me is the use of a horns section. At times you would swear your listening to the “Tower of Power” but nope it’s just the guys in the band. This album may be my favourite use of a horn section in CCM music.

Tracklist
1 – Led To Roam – 2:48
2 – Run, Run, Lucifer – 4:43
3 – My Lord Is A Remedy – 3:06
4 – Oh Lord, You Know (That I Feel So Fine) – 4:07
5 – Reachin’ For The Sky – 4:18
6 – More Than A Matter – 3:58
7 – Presence Of The Lord – 4:21
8 – Hearken – 5:52
9 – I Wanna Be With You – 3:59

Credits
Bass Guitar, Alto Saxophone, Vocals – David Bynum
Coordinator [Album Co-ordination] – Miles McKee
Design [Cover Design] – David Casey (3)
Drums, Congas, Vocals, Cover [Cover Concept] – Randy Hill
Engineer [Engineered By] – Gerry Kitchingham
Guitar [Guitars], Keyboards, Synthesizer [Moog And String Synthesizers], Vocals – Barry Bynum
Instrumentation By, Arranged By – Liberation Suite
Photography By – John Leigh (2)
Producer [Produced By] – John Pantry
Trombone, Harmonica, Vocals – Howard Lyon
Trumpet, Flute, French Horn, Vocals – Paul Lyon

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Word Music (UK)
Copyright (c) – Word Music (UK)
Recorded At – R.G. Jones Studios
Printed By – Garrod & Lofthouse International Ltd.
Made By – Garrod & Lofthouse International Ltd.

Various – Jubilation! – 1975

This 1975 Myrrh Records sampler had some of the early 70’s best Jesus Music. Strangely, it had the exact same name (Including the exclamation mark) of an album released the same time from The Kingsmen. The album only had one unreleased track, Larry Norman – Dear Malcolm, Dear Alwyn. Larry did finally release the track in 1993 on the So Long Ago The Garden re-release as a bonus track.

Include below is the info on which album the songs were released on

Tracklist
1 – Barry McGuire – Enter In – 5:35 – Seeds
2 – Lamb – The Sacrifice Lamb – 5:09 – Lamb
3 – The Sonlight Orchestra – Easter Song – 2:45 – Love Songs And Other Greats
4 – Randy Matthews – Johnny – 3:30 – All I Am Is What You See…
5 – Petra – Back Sliding Blues – 4:31 – Petra
6 – Walt Mills – You Got The Power – 2:55 – Sincerely, Walt Mills
7 – Ron Salsbury And J.C. Power Outlet – I Choose To Follow You – 5:15 – Forgiven…
8 – Evie – Clean Before My Lord – 3:05 – Evie Again
9 – Parchment – Light Of The World – 4:00 – Light Up The Fire
10 – The Pat Terry Group – I Can’t Wait – 3:42 – The Pat Terry Group
11 – 2nd Chapter Of Acts – I Fall In Love/Change – 4:22 – With Footnotes
12 – Ray Hildebrand – Didn’t He – 5:08 – Special Kind Of Man
13 – Honeytree – Heaven’s Gonna Be A Blast – 2:22 – The Way I Feel
14 – Aleksander John – Days Go By – 3:15 – Days Go By
15 – Love Song – A Love Song – 1:46 – Love Song
16 – Larry Norman – Dear Malcolm, Dear Alwyn – 2:36 – Unreleased until 1993
17 – Malcolm & Alwyn – Tomorrow’s News – 3:30 – Fool’s Wisdom
18 – Ken Medema – Come Let Us Reason Together – 3:35 – Fork In The Road
19 – Chuck Girard & Love Song – Think About What Jesus Said – 4:54 – Final Touch
20 – Marijohn – Where I’m Going – 3:58 – Where I’m Going

Chuck Girard – Chuck Girard – 1975

This is the first solo Christian album from Chuck Girard. He had a successful secular career in the 60’s playing with the Castells and later the Hondells and sang lead on the Hondells single “Little Honda”. However, in the 70’s Chuck was looking for something a little more satisfying. He was a part of the Jesus music era and was in a band called Love Song until 1974. He then released this album and it did well for the time. Most believe his song from this album “Sometimes Alleluia” to be his best song ever.

Tracklist
1 – Rock ‘N’ Roll Preacher – 2:44
2 – You Ask Me Why – 3:14
3 – Evermore – 3:26
4 – Quiet Hour – 3:27
5 – Everybody Knows For Sure – 4:30
6 – Galilee – 3:19
7 – Tinagera – 3:47
8 – Lay Your Burden Down – 5:18
9 – Slow Down – 4:08
10 – Sometimes Alleluia – 5:28

Credits
Bass – Joe Osborne, Joe Puerta
Drums – Burleigh Drummond, Jim Keltner
Guitar – David Pack, Dean Parks
Harmonica – Tommy Morgan
Piano – Christopher North, David Paich
Producer – Chuck Girard