The Concords – Soul Purpose

Description

Soul Purpose is the full-length debut album by the Scottish gospel beat group The Concords, released in the UK on Emblem Records in 1966.

The Concords feature Leslie Mitchell on lead vocals, rhythm guitar, and twelve-string guitar, Douglas Watt on lead guitar, Gordon Webster on bass and tenor vocals, and Ian Ramsden on drums.

Very much pioneers due to being the only band in Scotland singing Christian lyrics to the backdrop of the pop sounds of the day, this 1966 debut from Renfrewshire-based four-piece the Concords is a delightful slice of CCM history. Recorded in an EMI studio in Edinburgh in a single eight hour session without any overdubs and mostly in one take, this collection of Jesus-centred songs give an insight into why the band are remembered as much as a live act as they were for their short-lived recording career with tracks like the supremely catchy «I Have Met The Master» and «Tramping» betraying a confidence that comes from playing their self-penned material countless times to a live audience. Deliberately drawing on the pop influences of the day in order to get the Christian message across through a recognisable medium, there are definite hints of both the Byrds and the Shadows in «The Bible Tells Me So» whilst the likes of «Teach Me Thy Way» has an ending that Roy Orbison would have been proud of. The bossa nova outing «My Lord’s Love» arguably sees the Concords at their best with some characteristic drumming from Ian Ramsden and a fantastic vocal from Les Mitchell backed by bassist Gordon Webster on harmonies whilst lead guitarist Douglas Watt pulls off solo that is up there with the best of that particular period. A long-forgotten vinyl obscurity deserving of a re-issue. [Lins Honeyman, Cross Rhythms, January 2017]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Teach Me Thy Way”
A2. “Dig Deep And Strike The Rock”
A3. “The Highest Hill”
A4. “In My Heart”
A5. “He Thinks Of You”
A6. “Early In The Morning”

Side Two
B1. “I Have Met The Master”
B2. “The Bible Tells Me So”
B3. “My Friend And I”
B4. “The Bible Asks Many Questions”
B5. “My Lord’s Love”
B6. “Tramping”

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