For Christmas With Love - Judith Durham

For Christmas With Love

Judith Durham

Columbia SX 6374

1968

This is a mono pressing of the British version of Judith Durham's Christmas record.  It differs from the Australian version by having one additional track "Just a Closer Walk With Thee."  Curiously the song features a 1965 copyright on the inner label which is also the date that the song appeared on The Seekers' album "A World of Our Own" but it is not that version.  I believe it is the version she released on a 1967 single in Australia.  I prefer The Seekers' version which features harmonies from the boys and a folk style arrangement to this version with its gospel organ and piano accompaniment although she sings both great.  Although this album was recorded at Capitol Records studio in Los Angeles I don't believe it was ever released here.  This was her first solo album after leaving The Seekers and being a big fan of that group I have long coveted it.  I finally found a copy last year but I was disappointed when I played it.  Arguably it is more of a gospel record than a Christmas record.  Every song is religious aside from "White Christmas," "Lullaby for Christmas Eve" and "The Christmas Song."  "The Lord's Prayer," "My Faith" and "Come On Children, Let's Sing" are not Christmas songs at all.  Her piety is obviously sincere and her singing is heartfelt, but this is not my cup of tea and it sounds nothing like The Seekers so I shelved it after a couple of spins.  I brought it back out at Christmas and played it while trimming the tree and I liked it better probably because my expectations were different.  "White Christmas" opens the album in an orchestrated easy listening style version.  Durham delivers a pleasant vocal but the track is otherwise unremarkable.  "Mary's Boy Child" was written by Jester Hairston and was released as a single by Harry Belafonte in 1956.  His version had a slight calypso flavor to it which is not present in this stiff orchestrated version.  The song lacks the warmth of the Belafonte recording even though Durham sings it impeccably.  The album finally comes to life with a jumping gospel style performance of "Go Tell It On a Mountain" driven by piano and organ.  Durham showed an interest in gospel with The Seekers but really shows her affinity for it here and I love the way she hits the high notes at the end.  This is one of my favorite tracks.  The record loses this energy with the heavily orchestrated "Lullaby for Christmas Eve" which had been a single for Jack Jones in 1964.  Nonetheless it is a sweet song and at least it isn't religious.  Durham's soaring vocal on "The Lord's Prayer" impresses me but I dislike the song and the heavy inspirational arrangement.  "My Faith" is even worse.  Durham sings it like she means it, but the song is just too sappy for me to tolerate.  The record picks up with the lively gospel song "Come On Children, Let's Sing" which was recorded by Mahalia Jackson in 1960.  I love Durham's voice and she sings it well but she can't compete with Jackson.  She sounds stilted by comparison.  I wish there were more songs like "The Christmas Song" on the record.  She seems more inspired by the religious stuff, but she still sings this well and it is a much more appealing song to me.  "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" fits well with the rest of the album both in terms of sound and content even though it was recorded earlier.  As I said before I prefer The Seekers' version but this is still pretty compelling.  Most of the arrangements on this album are stodgy and conservative, so it is surprising that "Silent Night" is given an up-tempo treatment including drums, probably the most dynamic version of the song that I have ever heard.  I'm not sure that the song is well-served by such treatment but I like it anyway especially with Durham's exquisite vocal.   The album concludes strongly with a kinetic gospel arrangement of "Joy to the World" that inspires Durham to loosen up and have some fun.  It is my other favorite track on the album.  Although there are parts of this album that I enjoy, I have to admit there is no way I would keep it if Durham was not singing on it.  I like her voice so much I would listen to her sing just about anything even a bunch of hymns, but I'm not going to listen to it very much.  I'm alienated by religion and I prefer folk arrangements to easy listening ones so I'll just stick with my Seekers albums.  Recommended to religious Judy Collins fans who dislike folk music.

Keep On Singin' - Andraé Crouch and the Disciples

Keep On Singin'
Andraé Crouch and the Disciples
Light Records LS-5546-LP 
1971 

I picked this up in a thrift store in Williams, Arizona awhile back.  I had no idea who Andraé Crouch was at the time.  I'm not a big fan of religious music, but I dug the cover and hoped that the music was funky or soulful.  When I got home I gave it a spin and was dismayed to hear that much of it sounded like smooth sunshine pop.  It was so not what I was expecting that I stuck it on my purgatory shelf planning to discard it.  Then last January Crouch died and I came across several lengthy obituaries of him that praised his work and its significance in the history of gospel music.  I remembered that I had one of his records and pulled it out to listen to it again.  It was pretty much as I remembered but this time it didn't bother me.  Without my false expectations to prejudice me, I heard the music differently.  I appreciated its eclecticism and its pop appeal.  You might think I was just swayed by the critical praise of Crouch's work, but I think it is more of a case of me being motivated to listen to it more attentively.  The record opens with "I Don't Know Why Jesus Loved Me" which like all the songs on the record was written by Crouch.  It is sung by one of the Disciples, Perry Morgan.  This song has more of a traditional gospel sound with a prominent organ line and soulful ensemble vocals.  This is my favorite track on the record.  Crouch sings lead on "I'm Gonna Keep On Singin.'"  This is a more upbeat track bolstered by brass and winds and very poppy harmony vocals led by Crouch's twin sister Sandra who was also a member of the Disciples.  It is a slick and accessible production that shows off Crouch's pop smarts.  If it wasn't so religious I could imagine it as a top 40 single.  Disciple Billy Thedford and guest singer Tremaine Davis sing "I'm Coming Home, Dear Lord" with a lot of feeling.  The song is less dynamic than the previous track but shares the same elaborate pop style arrangement.  Crouch takes the mike again for "Along Came Jesus" which is a jumping number with a catchy melody and energetic vocals.  The record slows down for "Jesus (Every Hour He'll Give You Power)" which boasts a stirring vocal from Crouch.  Side two begins with Crouch singing "Take a Little Time" which is another soulful performance with an elaborate pop arrangement.  "What Ya Gonna Do?" is a jaunty number that almost sounds like a show tune.  It is mostly sung as an ensemble with a solo passage sung by Crouch.  It concludes with an odd bit of musical cacophony that sounds almost psychedelic.  "I've Got Confidence" is a rocker that is driven by a stinging guitar line.  It features a dynamic lead vocal from Crouch and it is one of my favorite cuts on the album.  Thedford is the soloist for "My Tribute (To God Be The Glory)" which is a dramatic ballad.  I find it sappy and overblown.  For some reason fake applause is dubbed in at the end of the song.  The album concludes with Crouch singing "I Must Go Away" which is country-flavored.  I find the song appealing, particularly the harmonica work and tasteful piano lines.  I'm not a Christian but I admire Crouch's expression of his spirituality.  He's not preachy or self-righteous and his lyrics have some memorable images and language.  Mostly though it is the music that gets to me.  Crouch and the Disciples were all terrific singers and their vocal interplay is consistently engaging.  Crouch was also a skilled arranger and I appreciate the variety of instruments and styles he employs throughout the record.  Although I was initially turned off by the poppiness of the record, I'm hardly the sort of person who does not like a big juicy hook and Crouch sprinkles them liberally throughout the record.  Crouch wanted to make religious music that would appeal to a broad audience and on this record he succeeded.  Anyone who is a fan of sophisticated 1970s pop-soul or sunshine pop ought to find stuff to like on the album.  Recommended to religious fans of the Fifth Dimension and Gladys Knight and the Pips.