Description
Simple House is the fourth album by the American singer and songwriter Margaret Becker, released on Sparrow Records in February 1991. The album was recorded by Bill Deaton at OmniSound Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee; with Charlie Peacock producing. Mixed by Rick Will at Sixteenth Avenue Sound in Nashville.
Most tracks feature Blair Masters on keyboards, Jerry McPherson on guitar, and a rhythm section consisting of bassist Tommy Sims (of White Heart fame) and drummer Aaron Smith (of The 77s fame), with Eric Darken sitting in on percussion. Backing vocals provided by Chris Eaton and Ashley Cleveland, among others.
This fourth album from Margaret Becker not only shows her to be one of Christian music’s foremost (only?) female rock vocalists, but further establishes her as a songwriting talent that warrants attention. By the time she recorded ‘The Reckoning‘ she had proven that she would not be narrowcast in the mold of a Christian version of the secular band Heart or as a Christian rock’s replacement for Sam Phillip, as it appeared on her debut. Last year’s ‘Immigrant’s Daughter‘ took her thoughtful, introspective writing to a deeper plane, proving that this was no one-trick pony. Margaret Becker has the voice, the talent, and the artistic vision to last over the long haul, and nowhere is this more evident than here with ‘Simple House’.
From the galloping funk/rock of the opening title track to the closing reflection of «Never Be an Angel», Becker revels in her musical abilities, conquering uncharted territory, all the while exploring the basic spiritual foundation she honed with «Find Me». She does an up tempo take on the Supreme’s Motown groove with «Talk About Love» (take that Phil Collins), and here she adds some flesh to a message that seems to focus on a highly personal spiritual quest. With this song more than any other, Becker gives clues to how it is that as Christians we don’t get along as we should, with a nod to Paula Abdul’s «Opposites Attract».
Producer Charlie Peacock has wisely treated each song as a unique entity, allowing the composition and arrangement to fit the mood of its message and music. Still the album is a consistent whole, broad and bright enough to please AC and pop listeners, aggressive and artful enough to interest rockers, yet without sounding schizophrenic or overly concerned with marketing. It’s a fine, tasty, enjoyable record that clearly has a lot on its mind.
Becker speaks consistently of her own spiritual journey, its ups and downs, obviously aware that these are universal tendencies, that her trials are our trials. This is true, and often Becker will be singing the listener’s feelings while expressing her own. However, ultimately it would be helpful as she did in «Talk About Love» and «Steps of Faith» to tie her stories of life’s struggles to concrete relational life where most of us work out our faith in fear and trembling. «I Will Not Lie Down» (more than a nod to Don Henley’s «I Will Not Go Quietly») and «Scatter These Thieves» while abundantly clear in meaning, would both benefit from moving from her abstraction to more human contexts. An each arrangement could use a nice bridge with a bit of a hook as a change of pace. Further Becker, who’s a tasty guitar player in her own right, has yet to exhibit this ability on record.
‘Simple House’ is a moving, enjoyable, encouraging work; further proof that we’ll be watching and listening for years to come as Margaret Becker shares her life with us, as well as her superior vocal instrument, in song. [Brian Q. Newcomb, CCM, April 1991]
I will never forget the first time that I heard Lone Justice’s second record, ‘Shelter‘. It was the first really beautiful summer day that year and I was in my back yard. I had never heard anyone communicate the raw joy that comes from real love the way that Maria McKee did on that record. There was a conviction and strength in the words and music that made me want to shed my skin and jump into whatever it was that this lady had. There hasn’t been a record that’s made me feel that way again until now.
I have always liked Margaret Becker’s music, I have to admit this to you. ‘Simple House’, however, is something more than just a good record. It is liberating. Lyrically she shows her heart once again, as she has so many times before, searching for holiness and the truths that promise to make our lives whole. She teams up with Charlie Peacock to write «Look Me In The Eye», a beautifully introspective declaration of commitment. Mr. Peacock’s gifted hand shows up in other places as well, but never to take away, always to inconspicuously build up.
The musical content we may expect from Becker has changed and gone a bit closer home to her first recording, ‘Never for Nothing‘. Although not entirely gone, the edgy rock and hard singing have given way to an atmosphere that is less frantic and more determined. However, there is still room to kick off your shoes and dance on «Talk About Love», a song that feels so good you might swear you were «Walking On Sunshine». Another outstanding cut is «Steps Of Faith (For Tim)», an encouraging anthem for anyone whos ever felt alone. The fact of the matter is, there are no weak songs on this record.
Margaret Becker has reached a new level of maturity, liberation if you will, and expresses it joyfully in this record – “Let your light invade my dark/ crush the pride in every part/ and scatter it to the wind… Sweet, sweet, sweet liberty/ when You are all that’s left in me.” [Mary Kay Selby, Harvest Rock Syndicate, Issue 2, 1991 (Volume 6)]
The next time one of those smug know-nothings comes on with all those clichés about contemporary Christian music not being as good as the world’s, sit them down in front of your music centre and give them a high-decibel headful of this new one from America’s finest rock gospel singer. A superlative album which reverberates with musical intelligence and ingenious pop and rock arrangements yet never pulls the spiritual-punches. Instead we’re given music which ranges from rock funk (grab the careering title track with a bass line funky enough to make Bootsy Collins give up bass for triangle – probably done on a sampler but hot for all that) through to Margaret’s forte – tremulous ballads which give that whisper-to-a-scream voice full scope. Possibly my favourite is «Steps Of Faith» which builds into an astonishing climax with Hammond and chorus locked in spiralling union and Margaret going-for-broke with octave leaps which would seriously upset any storefront congregation. But then there’s the pulsating «I Will Not Lay Down» … and always, those beautiful, spirit-lifting ballads of faith. A brilliant album. Now get out there and buy it. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, June 1991]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/simple-house/724507062)
CD tracklist:
01. Simple House – 3:40
02. Talk About Love – 3:39
03. Look Me In The Eye – 4:44
04. All I Ever Wanted – 4:32
05. Steps Of Faith – 4:11
06. I Will Not Lay Down – 4:30
07. Never Be An Angel – 4:55
08. Scatter These Thieves – 4:38
09. The Strangest Things – 4:38
10. You Remain Unchanged – 3:36
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Sparrow Records.
A full-page advertisement for Margaret Becker’s Simple House was featured in the April 1991 issue of CCM Magazine.
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