R.S.V.P.

Description

R.S.V.P. is the sophomore album by the British folk group The Alethians featuring singer and songwriter Dave Pope, released in the UK on Myrrh Gold in 1973, a division on Word. (It was the third album released on Word UK’s Myrrh Gold imprint, featuring catalog number MYR 1002.) The album was recorded by Nick Kinsey and Mike Marsh at Livingston Studios in New Barnet, England; with Bobbie Graham producing.

This simple male/female folk outfit is sort of a British version of gentle happy US groups like Gamble Folk and Random Sample. Adequate but missing any progressive elements that distinguish groups like Parchment. Guitars, vocals, bass and that’s about it. They do versions of Parchment’s «Light Up The Fire», Malcolm & Alwyn‘s «He Makes Us Happy», «Streets Of London», «Three Crosses» plus some original songs. Enjoyable though nothing particularly exceptional about it. Member Dave Pope followed with several light rock/MOR LPs in the ’70s. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th edition]

In the early ’70s British Christian groups and artists leapt on the contemporary folk boom as a style of music which was ideal to convey a message. Musically, it wasn’t too noisy or off-putting for the religious traditionalists of the church and somehow it sounded like now. I can still remember coffee bar gigs in the late ’70s where folkies would ply their trade and always include a version of «Streets Of London». Sure enough in 1973 on this UK Myrrh label release, The Alethians do the same. They also include a cover of Parchment’s current big hit «Light Up The Fire». Alongside such obvious material, there’s also some of the band’s original repertoire. Guitars are gently plucked, vocals mix male and female leads and blend into nice harmonies but the overall feel of this album is that it sounds a bit ordinary and lacks the edge of other artists of the era. It’s all pleasant enough and is interesting as being the group that major ’70s Christian artist Dave Pope cut his teeth. [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Love Song” – 4:20
A2. “Jesus Loves You” – 3:34
A3. “Yes Or No” – 2:50
A4. “Light Up The Fire” – 3:05
A5. “Streets Of London” – 4:16

Side Two
B1. “He Makes Us Happy” – 2:53
B2. “My Song” – 2:08
B3. “You’ve Got To Be A Baby” – 2:08
B4. “Not Of Dreams (Jesus Christ Son of God)” – 3:20
B5. “Three Crosses” – 3:27