All Saved Freak Band - Harps On Willows: Best of vol. 1 (2006)

Artist: All Saved Freak Band
Album: Harps On Willows
Best of vol. 1 (Compilation)
Label: ASFB/Hidden Vision Records
Catalog#: ACO 034
Release: July 4, 2006
Genre: Pop/Rock, Christian, Jesus Rock
Format: FLAC (track+.cue+log)
Bitrate: lossless
Cover: JPG 600 dpi, Full Scan
Duration: 00:48:56

• На долю группы "The All Saved Freak Band" выпало немало испытаний, потрясений и скандалов. Незадолго до записи дебютного альбома "My Poor Generation" трое членов ASFB погибли в автокатастрофе. В 1973-м основной гитарист Джо Маркко получил 55% ожогов тела и потерял обе руки в результате удара электрическим током зарядом в 27 000 вольт. И в заключение ко всему члены группы создали свою собственную секту, объявив себя «последним остатком христианства». До конца не известно обо всем, что происходило внутри их общины, но слухи ходили неутешительные. Но в ответ всем критикам группа записала альбом Brainwashed, который, на удивление, позже был назван одним из пяти самых влиятельных христианских рок-альбомов в истории. Ведь, несмотря на свои противоречивые взгляды на современное христианство, в своих песнях группа не излагала ничего противоречивого и провокационного. После двадцатипятилетнего молчания в 2006-м году The All Saved Freak выпустили компиляцию Harps On Willows: Best of the All Saved Freak Band.

• Here's a welcome collating of the best performances from one of America's greatest hippie Christian band. While bands like Petra and Resurrection Band spent the '70s perfecting a heavy rock'n'roll, ASFB ploughed a blusier furrow with ace blues guitarist Glenn Schwartz exemplifying his renowned skills. This 14 track CD brings together tracks from their four albums and while the bluesy thing is going on, there are also moments when the girly vocals bring in some of the hippier, folky elements. This is noticeable on album opener "Peace, Love And Rock'n'Roll". "Seek Him" might be blues but then there's a string section doing their thing too. The result is that the band's music is not easily pigeon holed. One joy is the fact that they wrote songs that were simple in their message. These are songs to get people to think about the Gospel, an art that seems to be missing in modern Christian music. Highlights for me include the heavier pounding of "All Across The Nation", the testifying mainly spoken word of "There Is Still Hope In Jesus" and the swampy "Old Man Daniel". There's also a great version of the hymn "The Old Rugged Cross". These recordings are very much of their time so they are a little ragged around the edges production wise but the band certainly fulfilled their ambition to create music that would stop people in their tracks and make them respond to the Gospel. Let's hope the re-release programme will bring other albums to the surface on CD. - Mike Rimmer

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  • Tracklist:

01. Peace, Love and Rock 'N Roll 03:44
02. Ode to Glenn Schwartz 04:03
03. Seek Him 03:00
04. All Across the Nation 03:59
05. Old Man Daniel 03:09
06. Elder White 03:38
07. The Big Race 03:29
08. The Sower 03:17
09. Frog Alley 04:56
10. Stephen 02:41
11. Peter, Feed My Sheep 01:18
12. Old Rugged Cross 03:44
13. There Is Still Hope in Jesus 06:26
14. When You Hear Me Speak of Jesus 01:32

 

Credit:
Brett Hill, Tim Hill - Percussion
Larry Hill - Piano, Vocals
Carole King - Keyboards, Vocals
Morgan King - Guitar (Bass), Vocals
Markko Polo Adventurers - Composer
Glenn Schwartz - Guitar

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