Description
Hold on Tight! is the third album the American rock group Sweet Comfort Band, released on Light Records in 1979. Also manufactured and distributed by Elektra/Asylum Records, a division of Warner. The album was recorded by Jack Joseph Puig at Caribou Ranch in Nederland, Colorado; with Tom Stipe producing. Mixed by Puig at Martinsound Studios in Alhambra, California. Featuring The Seawind Horns.
HOLD ON TIGHT – SWEET COMFORT BAND – Light LS 5762 (Word)
This Christian rock group has recently be come one of the premiere artists on the contemporary scene. Their second LP offers another helping of their light rock style. [Record World (Gospel Album Picks), January 26, 1980]
The Sweet Comfort Band’s third album was released back in 1979. The band were one of the most accomplished of the Jesus Music era and while this builds on the artistic success of the previous ‘Breakin’ The Ice‘ album, it takes off into very smooth territory and at times is reminiscent of Hall & Oates with Bryan Duncan as Darryl Hall. The Seawind horns are still in place and there’s strong songwriting, perfect vocal performances and top musicianship. The fusion of funk, pop and rock is still in place and though not quite reaching the heights of ‘Breakin’ The Ice’ shows a super-tight outfit perfectly executing the rhythmically complex cuts. «Angel» gives the band the chance to show off their musical chops whilst «Take It – Save It» has a breezy, polished west coast sound. One final highlight is «Carry Me» with its moody electric piano, passionate vocals and guitar solo from guest Buffalo Springfield/Poco man Richie Furay. The band always managed to mix unashamed honest spiritual lyrics with polished music. This is a rock’n’soul delight. [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, November 2009]
Hold On Tight! covers ground similar to its predecessors, but the results are not quite as inspired. Taken by itself it’s a fair album, albeit noticeably slower, mellower and more oriented toward orchestrated pop radio. In fact the disco/MOR ballad «Undecided» with its ultra-easy strings almost sounds like a close cousin to «Love’s Theme» by Love Unlimited Orchestra. That said, the grungy guitars on the closing «Find Your Way» probably make for the heaviest thing they’d done to date. The AOR-ish «Angel» rocks pretty solid as well. Produced by Tom Stipe. Includes appearances by David Diggs, Richie Furay and Alex MacDougall. The group would carry on into the ’80s with the acclaimed Hearts Of Fire (1981), followed by Cutting Edge (1982) and Perfect Timing (1984) before calling it quits. Duncan would pursue a successful solo career while Thomas went on to form the group Allies. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th edition]
Last year the Sweet Comfort Band established itself as one of Christian music’s finest contemporary groups with ‘Breakin’ The Ice‘, the foursome’s second album. Recorded last summer at Colorado’s famed Caribou Ranch, ‘Hold On Tight’ reinforces the SCB’s formidable musical capabilities, but falls short of being a trendsetter.
The album was produced by Tom Stipe, late of the Richie Furay Band and a few Maranatha! Music groups. Stipe has assembled some fine musicians here, including Furay, to accent Sweet Comfort. Even the Seawind horns encore their performance from the previous album. The resulting sound is full and solid – a good example of the high production standards now being reached in Christian music.
‘Hold On Tight’ is not without liabilities, however. It suffers from lyrical blandness, perhaps resulting from an unclear perception of the audience. In apparently attempting to communicate to both a Christian and a non-Christian listener, it’s possible that it misses both – hitting instead a nebulous middle ground. Interestingly, one of the album’s best songs, «Carry Me», is not directed to the listener, but to God.
In all fairness, however, the Sweet Comfort Band has put forth a fine effort here. Drop the record on the turntable, turn up the volume and hold on tight! [CCM, January 1980]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/hold-on-tight/1314599171)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Hold On Tight”
A2. “Take It Save It”
A3. “Falling Star”
A4. “You’re The One”
A5. “Angel”
A6. “Chasin’ The Wind”
Side Two
B1. “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me”
B2. “Undecided”
B3. “Carry Me”
B4. “More Than You Need”
B5. “Find Your Way”
Note: Simultaneously released on 8-track tape, cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Light Records. Later re-issued on CD by Light Records. Remastered by J. Powell at Steinhaus and re-issued on CD by Retroactive Records in 2009 as Digipak (titled 30th Anniversary Edition), distributed by Brutal Planet Distribution.
I welcome the opportunity to acquire early Christian music. Maybe it’s because it was the soundtrack for my beginning as a believer back in August 1976.
The Jesus music of the late seventies was part of a move of God among the counter-culture. Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel were part of it. Sweet Comfort Band (SCB) was featured on some of the early Maranatha Music (Calvary’s label) collections.
Unlike many of their contemporaries who developed a folk-rock style, SCB also incorporated elements of funk, jazz and R&B. Those familiar with Bryan Duncan’s solo career can hear the roots of it here, as he wrote and sang lead on many of these songs.
Randy Thomas, who would go on to a career with the Christian band Allies, and later co-write the mega-hit «Butterfly Kisses» with Bob Carlisle (also former Allies), is another major contributor.
SCB released a total of six albums, five of them now available through Retroactive Records. If you like SCB or early Christian music, get them while you can. Judging from past reissues of Christian music, they may never be found again, unless they become available on iTunes. By the way, some of the early Jesus music not previously available, like The Way, Paul Clark, Gentle Faith and more, can now be found at iTunes.
Derek Walker, a fellow Phantom Tollbooth writer reviewed SCB’s Breakin’ the Ice. Check out the review as he did an excellent job of briefly summarizing how the five SCB reissues compare. I defer to his judgment that Hold on Tight, which followed Breakin’ the Ice, was a low point among the band’s releases. The latter being a high point.
Though Hold on Tight may have been less dynamic, there is plenty to like. «Don’t Tell Me You Love Me» is classic Bryan Duncan. It has that feel-good R&B vibe and lyrics that recall the words of the prophet Isaiah: “This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matt. 15:8 ESV). It’s written from God’s point of view: Don’t sing me your songs and tell me you love me, if you won’t give me your heart.
Several tracks including the aforementioned contain horns from Seawind, another early Christian group, and even strings. This, along with the style and musicianship, make this more mature musically then many of the early Christian recordings.
The harmonies and vocals are great. Three of the four band members contribute. Richie Furay sings background vocals on «Carry Me», another highlight, and has the first guitar solo.
Early Christian music could sometimes suffer artistically from being too message-driven, but that emphasis can also be endearing. Jesus music artists were foolish enough to believe that God could use the lyrical content of their songs; their pointed messages are a refreshing contrast to the vagueness that has become more prevalent. Some of the songs on this CD are aimed at those searching for the truth; others encourage perseverance and not letting go of faith, as in the title track, «Hold on Tight».
There is a simplicity and first-love kind of spirit in early Jesus music. Some of that spirit animates these songs. It’s worth hearing, and perhaps those of us who are Christians can consider how we can recapture some of that childlike faith and wonder, if we have let it slip away. I’m glad to have this early document from one of Christian music’s most popular bands. [Michael Dalton, The Phantom Tollbooth, February 24, 2010]
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