Description
Playing in the City is the debut album by the British rock group Barratt Band, released in the UK on Chapel Lane Records in 1981. (Chapel Lane was a newly established independent British label releasing superlative – and mostly cutting edge – albums by Christian artists, Playing in the City being their fifth release, Catalog Number CLS 8005.) Also released in the US on Refuge Records in 1983 featuring new cover artwork, distributed by The Benson Company. The album was recorded by Paul Cobbold at Chapel Lane Studios in Hereford, England; with Norman Barratt and Vic Coppersmith producing. (Coppersmith previously had worked with Norman Barratt’s Gravy Train, and other British bands like The Jam, Rolling Stones, and Black Sabbath.) All songs written by Norman Barratt except tracks A1 and B2 co-written with Tim Hatwell.
Playing in the City was voted UK Album of the Year in the Readers’ Awards of Buzz, the leading UK gospel magazine back in the day.
Barratt Band was formed around 1980 by Norman Barratt and Russell Caldwell (Cordwell). Norman Barratt (February 5, 1949 – July 30, 2011) was the former lead vocalist and guitarist of the British rock combo Gravy Train formed in 1969 during the genesis of English progressive rock. The band immediately garnered attention and were – along with well known acts like Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep – among the first bands signed to Vertigo Records, a subsidiary of the Philips/Phonogram record label, launched in 1969 to specialise in progressive rock and other non-mainstream musical styles. With the breakup of Gravy Train in 1975 Barratt began working with Christian acts such as The Mighty Flyers before joining the short lived Alwyn Wall Band in 1976. Barratt Band also featured Russell Caldwell, who had been the drummer of the last incarnation of Gravy Train (played on their two final studio albums) before the band folded, as well as Dave Morris on keyboards and Tim Hatwell on bass. (Hatwell actually had been the bassist of Narnia, a 70s UK folk rock band that also included John Russell and Peter Banks, both of After The Fire fame.) Barratt Band were among the first fully professional Christian rock bands in the UK, all members having worked as professional musicians in mainstream rock and pop.
Gravy Train had been working on new tracks for a future effort, but the band broke up in 1975 after the release of their final single, “Climb Aboard The Gravy Train”, b/w “Sanctuary” (Dawn Records). Thus some of the songs included on Barratt Band’s Playing in the City actually were intended for a fifth Gravy Train album, which never unfolded. In 1976, and again produced by Vic Smith, a few tracks were recorded by Norman Barratt, including “Never Seen Your Face”, “Nowhere To Run”, two versions of “Playing In The City” and “Not The Way”. All were Barratt’s compositions. These five recordings are featured as bonus tracks on the double CD compilation Strength of a Dream: The Gravy Train Anthology (Sanctuary Records 2006).
In the prog era, guitarist Norman Barratt was revered amongst British players for his work with rock band Gravy Train who released a number of albums on the Vertigo label. After getting saved he played with the Alwyn Wall Band in the late ’70s before forming the Barratt Band in 1981 and recording this landmark album. Produced by Vic Coppersmith who was working with The Jam at the time, what is most surprising here is the way in which keyboards play as much of a role in the overall sound as Barratt’s guitar and gritty vocals. Recorded for the fledgling Chapel Lane record label whose studios allowed the label’s artists to invest more time in production, the results were stunning at the time. 25 years on, they’re still stunning as this album stands the test of time. Musically it’s quite a mixture from the short sharp new wave influenced «The Only One», «Coming Of The Man» and «Bad Mean World» which all pound along in stripped down fashion. Barratt once told me that the gentle «Your Love» was simply a vehicle for an extended guitar solo where Barratt’s virtuosity is certainly demonstrated. «Not The Way» and «Playing In the City» both exploit his skill with the talk box, the latter is probably still my favourite track on the album. The album closes in almost prog fashion with two songs that are designed to be heard together. «Voice In The Night» and «Never Seen Your Face» are epic songs that look at the crucifixion and beyond but it’s the musical power of the tracks which really impresses. In the early ’80s they were a live staple, gigging all over the place and these last two songs were the climactic moment in the gigs. Normant Barratt recorded further albums but none were as impacting and stunning as this. Still powerful after all these years and now this absolute classic is re-released! [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, July 2006]
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “The Only One” – 3:18
A2. “Not The Way” – 4:50
A3. “Your Love” – 5:40
A4. “Playing in the City” – 4:15
A5. “Coming of the Man”- 1:55
Side Two
B1. “Bad Mean World” – 2:37
B2. “My Spirit’s Free” – 4:15
B3. “Voice in the Night” – 6:54
B4. “Never Seen Your Face” – 6:30
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Chapel Lane Records. Later remastered and re-issued on CD.
Playing in the City, Chapel Lane 1981, UK Edition Cover Artwork
Playing in the City, Refuge Records 1983, US Edition Cover Artwork
Barratt Band – Live at the Greenbelt Festival, Knebworth, UK, August 1982 (+ other lives recordings)
“The Only One”, Live on the Rock Gospel Show, UK 1985.
CREDITS. Produced by Norman Barratt and Vic Coppersmith. Recorded at Chapel Lane Studios, Hereford. Engineered by Paul Cobbold. Design and Photography by Phil Thompson. Band Photo by Chris Fendick. All songs written by Norman Barratt except track A1 and B2 co-written with Tim Hatwell.
Barratt Band: Norman Barratt (Vocals, Guitars), Dave Morris (Keyboards), Tim Hatwell (Bass), Russell Caldwell (Drums). Additional Musician: Walter Bollard a.k.a. Paul Cobbold (Additional Keyboards).
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.