Description
Stop This Flight is a live album by the American singer and songwriter Larry Norman, independently released on Phydeaux Records in 1985. The album was recorded live with a band at the Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne, Australia; June 15, 1984, and was produced and arranged by Larry Norman.
An album which confounded the critics an proved that whatever else had happened since 1977 the man had lost none of his talents as a songwriter or performer. Released in 1985, ‘Stop This Flight’ remains one of Norman’s best live albums, featuring many of Larry’s best songs to emerge in a decade. «A Woman Of God», «I Hope I’ll See You In Heaven» and «Messiah» all surfaced for the first time on this album along with another three or four decent songs. The only weak song is the slushy «And We Sing ‘The Tune’» which veers into Barry Manilow territory unfortunately! Two songs have reappeared on the latest compilation album ‘Footprints In The Sand’. Sounds so smooth it could almost have been recorded in the studio with a good band. [Dougie Adam, Cross Rhythms, February 1996]
So far this decade, Larry Norman – the ever-mercurial pioneer of what used to be called “Jesus rock” – has released or re-released at least a dozen albums on his own independent label. ‘Stop This Flight’, however, is the singer/songwriter’s first LP of new and original material in five years and his first release in ages (since 1981’s ‘Something New Under the Son‘ anyway) that will appeal to a wide audience rather than just the hard-core collector. Not only is the material actually new, but it’s generally as strong as what we used to expect from him back in those golden olden days. The playing (from an uncredited band) and production level are high quality – so high, in fact, that you wonder if substantial post-concert overdubbing didn’t take place.
The title track, unfortunately, is a little too drearily autobiographical for our tastes – and didn’t he cover the same territory over a decade ago in «Fly Fly Fly»? But most of the songs are in a soft-rock vein, and most deal with earthly relationships from a strong Christian perspective. The lovely and bittersweet «(Looking for) A Woman of God (Proverbs 31)» could quickly become a rallying cry for single male believers. «And We Sing the Tune» is a touching ballad about love finally found after all hope had been given up. On the down side are three songs about friendships or love affairs that didn’t end quite as neatly: the probing «Don’t You Wanna Talk About It»; the funky «Out of My System», a rare Christian entry into the world’s favorite genre (i.e., the thank-God-that-one’s-over post-breakup declaration); and «I Hope I See You in Heaven», the title of which says it all.
Rounding out the record are a few spoken raps, a quickie instrumental (ahem, “etude”), and two more traditionally-themed Christian songs: «What’s Wrong With This Body», a bit of Keith Green-style intra-church preaching, and «Messiah!», a stirring dip into one of Larry Norman’s favorite genres, the Second Coming anthem.
Obviously, the impact of ‘Stop This Flight’ will be dependent on Norman’s independent release resources. But with a studio LP reportedly due for wider distribution later in the year, this one should offer advance warning to those old devotees who might have written him off as a major creative force. Larry Norman’s powers are still intact and he could once again return to the forefront of contemporary Christian music, should he choose to do so. [Chris Willman, CCM, April 1986]
> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/stop-this-flight/548122163)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Finchian Etude” (Instrumental) – 0:57
A2. “Stop This Flight” – 4:45
A3. “A Women Of God (Proverbs 31)” – 3:50
A4. “What’s Wrong With This Body?” – 4:35
A5. “Don’t You Wanna Talk About It” – 6:00
Side Two
B1. “And We Sing “The Tune”” – 4:15
B2. “Out Of My System # 1” – 4:45
B3. “I Hope I’ll See You In Heaven” – 5:30
B4. “Messiah” – 5:15
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Phydeaux Records. Re-issued on CD by Solid Rock Records in 1997 featuring new cover art, a bonus track (an extended 5:27 minutes studio version of “What’s Wrong With This Body”) and a radio interview with Larry Norman featuring brief commentaries on each track. Available at Bandcamp: https://larrynorman.bandcamp.com/album/stop-this-flight
An advertisment for the “Messiah” single and the upcoming tour was featured in the October 19, 1985 issue of Billboard Magazine.
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