Description
The Present Tense: Songs of Sydney Carter is the debut album by the British folk-rock combo Reflection, independently released on Reflection Records in 1968. The album was engineered by Malcolm Jackson at Jackson Studios in Rickmansworth, England; with Michael Lehr producing. The LP is gathering together fifteen of Sydney Carter‘s best songs (a British songwriter probably best known for his song “Lord of the Dance“) in acoustic and electric folk arrangements.
Reflection had its origins back in the mid-sixties, among Christian students at Cambridge University, in a group attached to the University Church of Great St Mary’s called the “Cambridge Twentieth Century Church Light Music Group”. Initially this was simply a group of singers supporting special services which used the published hymns and songs of the “Twentieth Century Church Light Music Group” written in a twenties style by Geoffrey Beaumont, Patrick Appleford and others with the accompaniment of a university traditional jazz band. Gradually, however, it attracted other musicians and writers, who began to create their own material and explore more deeply the nature of Christian worship. From the beginning Reflection’s singers and musicians were in great demand for services, presentation and worship conferences throughout the UK, and rapidly built up contacts in all parts of the Church and the media.
For the debut LP on this obscure Christian label, the group Reflection chose to interpret the songs of Sydney Carter, a man I had never heard of and who apparently was one of those against-the-grain types. Carter’s songs are described as “perhaps folk, religious, or protest” and range from titles like «When They Shouted Hosanna», «Lord Of The Dance» (probably his best known tune, based on the Shaker melody «Simple Gifts»), and «Judas And Mary» to the more eccentric «I Wan’t To Have A Little Bomb Like You» and «The Vicar Is A Beatnik». The guys and girls take turns at lead vocals while the music moves from lyrical acoustic to plugged-in folkrock – it’s definitely a full-fledged British sound. From classical textures via cello, flute, and oboe, to a more raw Steeleye Span electric approach. Then there’s the delightfully snotty pub folk of «George Fox» (founder of the Quakers) which boldly asks “If we give you a pistol will you fight for the Lord? No you can’t kill the devil with a gun or a sword!”. Then the chorus “with your old leather britches and your shaggy shaggy locks, you are pulling down the pillars of the world George Fox”. Lots of variety here, all excellently done and packaged in a curious mushroom cloud cover. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th edition]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-present-tense-songs-of-sydney-carter/730862918)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “The Present Tense”
A2. “Standing In The Rain”
A3. “George Fox”
A4. “When They Shouted Hosanna”
A5. “Lord Of The Dance”
A6. “Crow On The Cradle”
A7. “Every Star Shall Sing A Carol”
A8. “I Want To Have A Little Bomb Like You”
Side Two
B1. “Bird Of Heaven”
B2. “Travel On”
B3. “Judas And Mary”
B4. “Friday Morning”
B5. “Bitter Was The Night”
B6. “The Vicar Is A Beatnik”
B7. “The Mask I Wore”
CREDITS. Produced by Michael Lehr and engineered by Malcolm Jackson. Songwriter: Sydney Carter. Design by John F. Bond.
Musicians: Jonathan Jones (Lead Vocals), Mo Brown (Lead Vocals), Richard Spence (Lead Vocals), Sue McHaffie (Lead Vocals, Celesta), Stuart Yeates (Lead Vocals, Cello), Michael Campbell (Lead Vocals, Guitar, Organ, Piano), Colin Wright (Organ, Piano), James Etheridge (Guitar, Organ, Piano, Bass Guitar, Vibraphone), Marion Banks (Flute), Lessley Bateson (Oboe), Lionel Browne (Bass Guitar, Drums, Percussion), Nik Knight (Drums, Percussion).
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