Electric Holyland

Description

Electric Holyland (Fuzz drenched Jesus Rock Rarities from the 60’s & 70’s Music Bands) is a multi-artist compilation released on Lysergic Sound Distributors in 2009.

Music known as “Jesus rock” or “Jesus psych,” the synthesis of the Christian philosophy combined with heavy rock or psychedelic music, first saw light of day in the late 1960’s and was immediately pressed on vinyl. It didn’t dent popular consciousness and was met with almost zero popularity in its infancy.

Over the years, astute collectors and music lovers began to realize that some of these records, almost all of which had been privately pressed in very small quantities with little to no promotion, contained some of the heaviest, catchiest, guitar-driven psych rock ever released.

Many of us feel that these early greatly talented, creative and innovative Jesus rock artists, which, sadly, have been mostly overlooked and remain still relatively unknown, deserve to be heard. They broke the traditional mold of what Christian music should sound like and need to be known and recognized along with the well-known rock artists and bands of the era.

This album presents twelve cuts of some of the best and sometimes heaviest obscure Jesus psych rock ever. Several tracks are from ultra-rare albums that are well-known to vinyl collectors, while others are from albums so obscure that only a few copies are known to exist.

Enjoy your fuzz-drenched trip through “Electric Holyland”!

Record for today was “Electric Holyland”, Various Artists (Lysergic Sound Distributors 2009). First of all, thanks to whoever put this record up here, along with the discogs link. It made it very easy to get it from popmarket. I like the back cover art better than the front. The psychedelic lettering reads: “Fuzzdrenched Jesus Rock Rarities From the 60s + 70s.” I have long maintained that a majority of Jesus Music bands were hard or acid rock as opposed to country or folk rock, but that labels would not sign them and radio would not play them. This record is exhibit A. If I did not know better, I’d say that Eric Clapton played all the guitar leads under different names. The only artist I recognize on this record is Paul Clark, on his song “Jesus is My Great Shepherd” from “Songs From the Savior Vol. II” (one of three volumes or records) on the Sunrise Mercantile label. Very briefly, here are the other eleven songs:

Side A:
1. “Love Comes Down” by New Folk from “Born Yesterday”. Nice electric guitar lead with both male and female singers, about the Second Coming.
2. “Get Down On Your Knees” by Sweet Destiny. Written by Barrie Hobbie and James Black. More nice electric guitar. Great male lead vocal. Sort of like The Mamas and the Papas.
3. “Where Could I Go?” by First Revelation from “This Side of Eternity”. Lead singer sounds a bit like Janis Joplin. Sort of a Black Gospel sound with long stretches of sizzling electric guitar.
4. “High Times, Low Times” by Wild Olive Branch from “Through a Glass Darkly”. Written by George M. Price. Male lead with back up vocals, drums, electric guitar.
5. “I’ve Been Walkin'” by Earthen Vessel from “Everlasting Life- Gospel Hard Rock”. Not as hard as some of these songs. Male and female vocals, long electric guitar stretches. Written by Sharon Keel and John Sprunger. Female lead has Black Gospel quality. Over eight minute song.

Side B:
1. “Ark” by Shekina Glory from “Have You Considered?” Written by Al Rachel. Starts slow. Psychedelic electric guitar, maybe also acoustic guitar, flute.
2. “Jesus is Mighty to Save” by The Jesus Band. Written by Dean Hollingsworth. Male lead with background vocals. Electric blues guitar.
3. “Sidewalk Preacherman” by the Ark. Written by Eddie Herold.
4. “Decisions” by Children of the Lamb. Written by Britt Warren. Hard rock, somewhat like Iron Butterfly.
5. “Date Cuenta” – Renacimiento by P. Watkinson. I think this is Spanish. Long instrumental guitar stretches.
6. “Jesus My Great Shepherd” by Paul Clark. From Songs From the Savior Volume Two. All three volumes are excellent. Some have been remade as “Paul Clark and Friends”.
7. “Put Your Spirit Inside of Me” by The Four Corner Gospel Experience from “Praise You Lord” by Mike and John Reed. The band sounds like it would be gospel style music, but it’s rock [Gord Wilson, February 2022]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. The New Folk – “Love Comes Down” (from the album Born Yesterday, 1968 / 1971) – 3:09
A2. Barrie Hobbie, Johann Black and Sweet Destiny – “Get Down On Your Knees” (from the album Barrie Hobbie, Johann Black and Sweet Destiny, 1978) – 4:34
A3. First Revelation – “Where Could I Go?” (from the album This Side of Eternity, 1973) – 4:37
A4. Wild Olive Branch Band – “High Times, Low Times” (from the album Through a Glass Darkly, 1977) – 2:46
A5. Earthen Vessel – “I’ve Been Walkin'” (from the album Everlasting Life/Hard Rock, 1971) – 8:51

Side Two
B1. Shekina Glory – “Ask” (from the album Have You Considered?, 1976) – 3:19
B2. The Jesus Band – “Jesus is Mighty to Save” (from the album The Jesus Band, 1979) – 2:58
B3. Ark – “Sidewalk Preacherman” (from the album Voyages, 1978) – 2:56
B4. Children of the Lamb – “Decisions” (from the album Children of the Lamb, 1975) – 2:51
B5. Renacimiento – “Date Cuenta” (from the album Renacimiento, 1978) – 3:33
B7. Paul Clark – “Jesus Is The Great Shepherd” (from the album Songs from the Savior, Volume Two, 1973) – 3:23
B7. The Four Corner Gospel Experience – “Put Your Spirit Inside of Me” (from the album Praise You Lord, 1975) – 3:42

Note: Re-issued on CD in 2019, manufactured and distributed by Lion Production under exclusive license from Lysergic Sound.

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