Description
Singer Sower is the sixth studio album by the American vocal trio 2nd Chapter of Acts, released on Sparrow Records in 1983. The album was produced and recorded by Buck Herring at Easter Song Studios in Garden Valley, Texas.
It’s hard to imagine the 2nd Chapter of Acts a anything but the singers in ‘Singer Sower’, their latest musical epic. While they do vocalize all nine cuts, on two they reveal the true singer – Jesus. «Spin Your Light» contains the revealing line, “Singer sow, sow your light in me,” while the very next song, «Open Up My Blind Eyes», says “So Singer sow you heart/ Inside of mine.”
The LP opens with what sounds like Star Wars’ C-3PO hyper-speaking some unidentifiable message. Needless to say, it sounds like garbage, possibly illustrating the song’s title, «Room Noise». The message, however, isn’t noise. It’s actually a Chinese reading of Ezekiel 33:31-32. The song pointedly decries the state of contemporary Christian music as “Pseudo gospel music” and “Idle idol lyrics.” The chorus proclaims, “I don’t want to be room noise/ No one will stop and hear me.” In one particular part, the group presumes God’s anger with such empty music by rumbling up rolls of synthesized thunder.
«Beware My Heart» enters with a steady backbeat that drives the song into its harmonic closing. The next song, «Ocean Liner», steams in with synthesizer, then breaks into a backbeat very similar to the previous song. «Ocean Liner»’s background vocals, especially on the closing chorus, are par excellence.
Annie‘s «Spin Your Light» shines directly into the singer/songwriter’s heart, revealing the sensitive, child-like faith of a mature believer. «Takin’ the Easy Way» utters the words we’ve all thought, but have never quite articulated before. If Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light,” then why is the Christian life so difficult? Annie suggests a two-fold understanding: “I might be taken by my sadness/ And still be filled with joy” and “So I take you into my weakness/ I’m weak but you are strong/ Takin’ the easy way/ Isn’t the easy way.”
Keith Green gave the words of «Lift Me Up» to Annie shortly before he died. Together with her husband Buck Herring and fellow songwriters Jimmy and Carol Owens, Annie wrote a striking melody. With ardor Keith would have been proud of, Matthew Ward sings the passionate cry of our Lord: “Crying, dying hear my plea/ My God have you forsaken me/ Free me of this sin I wear/ Oh free me from this flesh I bear.”
Other songs include typical 2nd Chapter sounds on the judgment day revelation, «No One Will Have a Secret», and an ever-onward «I’m Wastin’ No More Time». «Open Up My Blind Eyes» almost presumes upon God’s grace, however, with its vocal command: “No man has seen/ Your face and lived/ And that’s what/ I’m asking for/ For just one look/ Upon your face/ And I’d be made/ Brand New.”
Musically, ‘Singer Sower’ is one of 2nd Chapter’s finest albums. Their sound has always seemed an idea before its time – like frozen fruit. It was always sweet, but fruit tastes so much sweeter when fresh off the vine. Thus, with the technopop vocal stylings of the ’80s, 2nd Chapter sounds sharper than ever. Their vocal textures and harmonic slides are treated with state-of-the-art syntho sound, most successfully in «Room Noise» – which also contains slick synthesizer fills in the chorus.
Matthew, who releases his second solo album this month, is refreshingly prominent on ‘Singer Sower’, more so than on past projects. Annie, in her stunning soprano, contributes her share of leads as well. Produced by Buck Herring, the album includes piano and synthesizer work by Michael Omartian, while Kerry Livgren – having appeared with the group on 1981’s ‘Rejoice‘ – adds guitar and synthesizer on this project also.
A 30-minute video, containing interviews and songs, shot during production of ‘Singer Sower’ is offered for rental or sale through retail outlets. [Caroline Amedea, CCM, January 1984]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/singer-sower/723893734)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Room Noise” — 4:05
A2. “Beware My Heart” — 4:30
A3. “Ocean Liner” — 4:33
A4. “Takin’ The Easy Way” — 4:02
Side Two
B1. “No One Will Have a Secret” — 4:00
B2. “Spin Your Light” — 3:26
B3. “Open Up My Blind Eyes” — 4:22
B4. “I’m Wastin’ No More Time” — 3:42
B5. “Lift Me Up” — 3:33
Note: Simultaneously released on 8-track tape, cassette, and 12-inch vinyl LP by Sparrow Records. Re-issued on CD by Live Oak Records in 1990 (together with Rejoice) as a part of the Live Oak Collector Series, manufactured and distributed by Word.
The Making of Singer Sower
CREDITS. Produced and engineered by Buck Herring. Recorded at Easter Song Studios. All vocal arrangements by 2nd Chapter Of Acts. Instrumental arrangements on track A1, B2, and B5 by Michael Omartian.
Musicians: Annie Herring (Vocals, Piano), Nelly Greisen (Vocals), Matthew Ward (Vocals, Guitar), Dean Harrington (Guitar), Kerry Livgren (Guitar, Synthesizers), Michael Omartian (Piano, Synthesizers, Synthesizer solos), Si Simonson (Piano), John Scudder (Bass), Leland Sklar (Bass), Jack Kelly (Drums, Simmons Drums).
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