Cool Livin’

Description

Cool Livin’ is the debut album by the American singer and songwriter John Ylvisaker (September 11, 1937 – March 9, 2017), released on Avant Garde Records in 1967. Recorded in Chicago in 1967, the album contains original Ylvisaker tunes – both sacred and secular – written in a variety of styles. His copyrights cover more than 1,000 songs.

Avant Garde Records was a short-lived New York based label active from 1966 – 1972, specializing in religious folk and contemporary music.

…meanwhile, in America the Dylan of the bible scene, John Ylvisaker, was ‘gently rocking the American churches from coast to coast with some new electric sounds’. Albums like ‘Cool livin’ (1967) and ‘Follow me’ (1968) swapped unquestioning praise for Lutherian folk songs and sardonic Dylanesque lyrics, and Ylvisaker became a hero to young ’60s Christians who wanted to be hip and praise God. [Mojo Magazine, June 2001]

“It’s cool, cool, cool livin’, when a person lives forgiven.” I had heard rumor that this LP and A Love Song by Lutheran musician John Ylvisaker (pronounced elvis-sacker) were the tops for the label. When Cool Livin’ first came my way those rumors was confirmed. My initial reaction was something along the lines of Perry Como on acid. John’s voice is rich, expressive and full of range – the kind of voice you’d be more likely to find crooning in the sixties adult pop scene. But that music – woah! Cool Livin’ transports the listener through a variety of contemporary styles, including ‘60s rock, psych, folk/beat, blues and jazz. Good electric guitar from John on the title track and «A Gay Cliché», bending the strings a little here and there for that twangy garage vibe. Charges into full-fledged psychedelia on the experimental «Do You Know What I Have Done?» which takes its theme from the account of Christ washing the disciples’ feet. Wife Amanda’s organ accompaniment figures heavily in the sound, bringing a trippy psych mood to «My City», as well as forceful rock edges to «Tornado» and «Who Cares For The City?». Her keyboards even reveal some Sgt. Pepper influences on the unusual «Highly Polished Tin». Totally switches gears for the gentle ballad «Song Of Mary» and the pure jazz excursion «The Man And His Dog» (featuring pianist Bobby Lyle). Hip original lyrics with a bit of beat-generation attitude, touching on such topics as despair, city life, confession, spiritual lingo, Jesus, poverty and racism, the church, plus a parable or two where you’ll have to delve a little deeper for the meaning. «Let Loose» pokes fun at how we “do the church” with “our Sunday smiles and uptight clothes, our sermon ears and twinkle toes”, followed by the injunction to “let loose the love of God in you”. This is one swinging’ cut and it just might make you wanna pop up and do the twist or something. John really lets loose on his singing, too. No screaming or anything, but the dude is definitely expressive and he gets into it. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th edition]

> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/cool-livin/929896769)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Cool Livin’” – 3:00
A2. “Tornado” – 3:33
A3. “Despair” – 3:00
A4. “Who Cares For The City?” – 3:28
A5. “Do You Know What I’ve Done?” – 2:12
A6. “My City” – 4:30

Side Two
B1. “A Gay Cliche” – 3:56
B2. “Song Of Mary” – 3:01
B3. “The Man And His Dog” – 3:38
B4. “Highly Polished Tin” – 2:05
B5. “The Truth Comes Out” – 5:10
B6. “Let Loose” – 3:38

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