Reflection RL 310 (1974)
If there’s one genre that’s mostly AWOL from the “Jesus Music” era, it’s prog. To a great extent that’s still the case; a major exception is this dance troupe, which sets their Christian dance to some very good prog music. We’ve featured prog on this site (especially this.) But at the top of the heap, without a doubt, is this masterpiece, from the UK. It not only sets the standard for what progressive Christian music should sound like; it’s one of the most memorable productions ever undertaken in the era.
Commissioned by the Methodist Church, if their objective was to product a Christian album to appeal to a secular audience, they succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. It goes from its noisy start to the hard-driving “Overseers” (which is probably what my students think of me) to a visit to Hell in “Many Regrets” to what is one of the nicest musical representations of the new birth in “What’s That I Hear.” And that’s just the first side.
It’s an album that has to be experienced. There’s an entire blog (something of a stub) about it. I’d love to point to a full re-release of this monumental work.
The songs:
- Montage & Because My Mouth
- Jesus Is The Rock & Overseers & Psalm 94
- Who Am I
- Many Regrets
- For An Instant & In The Dark
- What’s That I Hear
- People I Live With
- Love III
- Kumbaya & Prayers
- What Is It Like, Lord
- Lonely
- For A Little Freedom
- Prayers
- Salvation Hymn
- Because My Mouth (reprise)
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