The Cold Cathedral

Description

The Cold Cathedral, sub-titled A New Sound in Worship for the 70’s, is the debut album by the American singer and songwriter John Fischer, released on F.E.L. Records in the fall of 1969. The album was recorded during two weeks by Al Handler at Audio Finishers in Chicago, Illinois; with Ray Tate producing (Tate was the dean at The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago). Arranged by Tate and Al Porth. All songs written by John Fischer.

To this day, I still don’t know how it happened. I got a phone call from this catholic recording company. They’d heard I was writing contemporary religious music and would I send them a tape. I went on to record these songs in Chicago immediately upon graduating from Wheaton College in June 1969. The Catholics were eager to fill a demand for contemporary music that was coming from the growing popularity of folk masses around the country – a kind of precursor to the Jesus movement. The producer and musicians on this album were all from the Old Towne School of Folk Music in Chicago. With this release in the fall of ’69, I think I beat Larry Norman’s Upon This Rock by about three months. On some lists, this is the first American contemporary Christian album. Jonathan and Charles beat us all in England. [John Fischer, a note featured on his website]

Away back in 1969 celebrated singer, guitarist, songwriter, author, and all-around insightful human being John Fischer not only had hair on his head, but also a completely different sound. To quote the back cover, Fischer’s record is “hard, driving beat, cool reflective guitar and flute, pop sound reminiscent of the ‘20s that is almost ‘camp’, western idiom, and dramatic tone pictures which themselves comment on the text.” It’s a far cry from his more polished Light albums on which you’ll find nothing near the go-go organ pop/beat of «Got To Shout About It». Features twelve of John’s songs, some of the other titles being «The Road Of Life», «See The Lilies», «Born To Die», «Look All Around You» and the convicting «Death In The City», the latter a mysterious haunting ballad. John’s vocals are immediately likable – soft, fragile and sincere on the ballads, relaxed and easygoing on the more upbeat numbers. The music has a good natural vibe featuring a low-key yet proficient arrangement of acoustic guitars, piano, flute, beatiful rhythm section and simple female bgvs (no strings or horns in the picture). A bit harder to find, too, having been released on a small mostly-Catholic label, but seek it out – it’s a folk/pop masterpiece! [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th edition]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-cold-cathedral/1672716347)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “The Cold Cathedral” – 2:55
A2. “The Road Of Life” – 3:05
A3. “See The Lilies” – 3:08
A4. “Born To Die” – 2:25
A5. “Open Up” – 2:07
A6. “Got To Shout About It” – 2:30

Side Two
B1. “Alleluia (Easter Day)” – 2:50
B2. “Death In The City” – 2:52
B3. “Look All Around You” – 2:25
B4. “Hard Feeling To Explain” – 2:20
B5. “No Vacancy” – 2:43
B6. “The Lord’s Prayer” – 2:32

Note: “COMPANION PUBLICATIONS. All the songs of this recording are available in the Guitar and Choir Booklet (Catalog No 365) and in the F.E.L. Song Book, Volume 15, containing melody lines, refrains, and all verses (Catalog No. 367).” (a note printed on the back of the LP sleeve).