Rejoice

Description

Rejoice is the fifth studio album by the American vocal trio 2nd Chapter of Acts, released on Sparrow Records in 1981. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Buck Herring at Buckskin Studio in Northridge, California.

“Rejoice” was among the Top Five Songs of 1981, listed as number 4 according to CCM Magazine.

Rejoice is the first new studio effort from the 2nd Chapter of Acts in two years and features 11 new songs from Herring. Her writing hasn’t changed much – her songs of devotion, confession and commitment are set to those unmistakeable Annie Herring melodies.

Even though the songs remain the same, Kansas‘ Kerry Livgren adds a new sound as he takes the place of Michael Omartian on synthesizer and arrangements. He also plays some of the guitar parts. His influence is felt most strongly on «Rejoice» and «Will You Remember Me», both of which feature strong synthesizer parts.

Produced and engineered as usual by Annie’s hubby Buck, Rejoice maintain a fairly high energy level, but never matches «Yahweh» or «The Devil Is A Liar» from the earlier albums. Also, disappointingly, Matthew Ward doesn’t have any solos (although he cuts loose on «He’s My Source».)

There are, in fact, very few solos at all on the album. Just plenty of those incredibly tight, silky sibling harmonies for which this brother/sisters act is famous. Of special note, «Rise Up and Take A Bow», a synical swipe at divorce.

(Best cuts: «Rejoice», «Nobody Can Take My Life», «Don’t Understand It», «He’s My Source») [John W. Styll, CCM (What’s New), June 1981]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/rejoice/724642282)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Rejoice” – 3:00
A2. “Bread of Life” – 2:04
A3. “Nobody Can Take My Life” – 3:28
A4. “Here I Go” – 2:18
A5. “Rise Up and Take a Bow” – 2:00
A6. “I’ve Got a Break in My Heart” – 2:47

Side Two
B1. “Don’t Understand It” – 2:57
B2. “He’s My Source” – 2:23
B3. “Heaven Came to Earth” – 2:15
B4. “Will You Remember Me” – 3:25
B5. “Mountain Tops” – 2:54
B6. “Bread of Life (Reprise)” – 1:05

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Sparrow Records. Re-issued on CD by Live Oak Records in 1990 (together with Singer Sower) as a part of the Live Oak Collector Series, manufactured and distributed by Word.

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CREDITS. Produced by Buck Herring. Recorded and mixed by Herring at Buckskin Studio in Northridge, CA. Photography by David J. Pavol. Graphic layout by Ron Brant at Stan Evenson Design, Inc.

Musicians: Annie Herring (Vocals, Piano, Synthesizers), Nelly Greisen (Vocals), Matthew Ward (Vocals), Peter York (Guitar), Kerry Livgren (Guitar, Piano, Synthesizers), Greg Springer (Synthesizers), Herb Melton (Bass), Jack Kelly (Drums), David Kemper (Drums).