Description
Get the Drift? is the debut album by the British pop/rock outfit Mark Williamson Band, released on Chapel Lane in 1980, marketed and distributed by Word. (Chapel Lane was a newly established independent British label releasing superlative – and mostly cutting edge – albums by Christian artists, Get the Drift? being their third release, Catalog Number CLS 8003.) The album was produced, recorded, and mixed during May, June, and July 1980 by Paul Cobbold at Chapel Lane Studios in Hereford, England; with band member Mark Williamson co-producing.
The track “Don’t Turn Your Back” was later covered by Sheila Walsh on her 1984-album Triumph in the Air. “Junior” was written by Nick Battle, formerly of After The Fire and Writz.
Two years later, a reworked version of the album was released in the US by StarSong Records, in co-operation with Larry Norman‘s label, Solid Rock Records. Though this time around released under a new moniker – Lyrix – and featuring new cover artwork as well as a new album title, Songs from the Earth (with a header saying “Larry Norman presents”).
Admirable album of AOR, pop-rock, new wave and ballads from British band consisting of Mark Williamson, Chris Eaton, Rob Marshall and Mark Millin. Crunchy guitars join Eaton’s prominent synthesizers for a dynamic ‘80s sound, sometimes reminiscent of fellow countrymen After The Fire or Barratt Band. Contains ten original songs, seven of which appeared on a modified 1982 US Star Song release in a different cover called Songs From The Earth, where the band’s name was changed to Lyrix. «Junior», «So Far So Good» and «Feeling Alright» appear only on this UK release, while the track «Susanne» on the US LP is missing here. Saxophone jazzing up a few songs, including the disco «(It Makes Me Wanna) Dance». The ATF comparisons are most noticeable on «Midnight Diamond», «Junior» and «Don’t Turn Your Back». Cool ethereal vocal effects on the closing «I Would Have Listened», a convicting song about how we can tend to keep our witness silent among friends. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th edition]
Lyrix – Songs from the Earth, StarSong Records 1982
The British are coming. They haven’t totally arrived, but at least they are on their way. Songs From the Earth (Star Song SSR-0039) by Lyrix is a healthy collection of diverse tunes that range from very mellow to new-wave. This English group is true to its name on two particular tunes. «Midnight Diamond» plants a seed of the returning Christ without all the overused, cliched terminology ccm is riddled with. «Rising» is a mellow, very perceptive view of the roller coaster ride many Christians experience:
Slowly we rise
quickly we fall
how often we say we’ve
learned from it all
how often we promise
we’ll never look back
how quickly we fall
slowly we rise.«Don’t Turn Your Back On Jesus» says it with power and simplicity in the only true new-wave selection on the LP. Other hard-driving material on this disc could be considered power pop in the same general feel of the first David Edwards album.
«Susanne» is an effective call to witness reminding us all not to pass up the opportunity to share the gospel no matter what the cost. On the other side of the coin is «Somebody Told Me» that not only tells us that it takes someone to tell us about Christ, but that we need to let go and want to know Him.
Musically, this album is quite strong. However, the synthesizer openings on some of the songs are a bit overdone and unnecessary. The obvious strong point to this album is in the group’s name. The words are not trite or overused. The potential is here in this foursome from the British Isles. It’s well worth a listen, and one to share with others. [Jim Coye, CCM, September 1982]
Lyrix – Songs from the Earth, StarSong Records 1982
In England the band were known as the Mark Williamson Band and this album was their debut, ‘Get The Drift’. In the USA, Larry Norman took them under his wing and released this album after he remixed it and gave it an American makeover so there are a few bells and whistles added here and there. Unfortunately, it feels like this mix is a little more clumsy than the original British version so that rather than adding, it detracts from the other version. The band itself highlights the songwriting and twin vocals of Williamson and a very young Chris Eaton. This is Christian pop rock ’80s style and there are a few classics on here. «Don’t Turn Your Back On Jesus» which opens things was always a live hit and Sheila Walsh later covered it. «Midnight Diamond» is another favourite and it highlights all that was good with the Chapel Lane studio in the early ’80s where the label’s artists had the opportunity to put together polished pop. A lot of the songs highlight the band’s twin vocal arrangements with Williamson and Eaton doing a great job trying to out-funk each other! This also features «Susanne», a soulful love song that was originally only released on a Chapel Lane compilation but one of the highlights is Williamson’s vocals on «Somebody Told Me» which just remind the listener that he was one of the most gifted blue eyed soul singers of his generation. Having said that, I have to say that overall, this version of the band’s debut album doesn’t improve the ‘Get The Drift’ release, which is a shame. [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, September 2008]
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Midnight Diamond” – 4:08
A2. “All Very Well” – 4:56
A3. “Junior” – 2:55
A4. “Somebody Told Me” – 5:00
A5. “So Far So Good” – 3:46
Side Two
B1. “Dance” – 3:23
B2. “Don’t Turn Your Back” – 3:21
B3. “Feelin’ Alright” – 3:58
B4. “Rising” – 4:00
B5. “I Would Have Listened” – 5:46
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Chapel Lane.
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