Description
Big World is the sixth studio album by the American rock band Mylon LeFevre & Broken Heart, released on StarSong Records in 1989. The album was digitally recorded by Joe Hardy at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee; with Hardy and Mylon LeFevre producing. Mixed by Hardy.
Broken Heart is Mylon LeFevre on guitar and vocals, Paul Joseph on keyboards and vocals, Scott Allen and Trent Argante on guitars and vocals, Kenneth Bentley on bass and vocals, and Ben Hewitt on digital drums and percussion.
After 1985’s ‘Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing‘ drew some weak critical notices in spite of solid audience acceptance, and 1986’s ‘Look Up‘, the band’s mainstream release on CBS, earned a collective sigh of “so what”, Mylon & Broken Heart have been making records that matter. With ‘Crack the Sky‘, they found a drum sound that made sense in the current scene and learned to mix rockers for the young and ballads for A/C radio without appearing wishy washy. ‘Face the Music‘ found the boys in the band going after a secular radio feel, at times closely mimicking the sounds of Huey Lewis, Bruce Hornsby and ZZ Top. Here in 1989, Mylon and Co. have found a wiser approach. On ‘Big World’, Broken Heart makes a solid rock and pop album that would fit into any FM format, and sounds exactly like, well… Broken Heart. More than ever before, Mylon & Broken Heart are making music that reflects their own playing style, and unique purpose of driving home a lesson to teach young Christians the values of the faith and to be an evangelical outreach to those kids’ friends.
Because the goals are so clear, it’s not surprising that the lyrics, supported in each case with appropriate Bible references to encourage study, are easily guessed upon hearing the titles: «Love Comes Down», «Face to Face», «Jesus, It’s You», «Let Love Conquer», all make familiar, yet necessary statements about our need to go «The Distance» with God.
Opening with three fine rockers (the title track, «Love Comes Down» and «Falling in Love»), Broken Heart exhibits a strong muscular approach, while guitarists Scott Allen and Trent Argante play all the necessary guitar lines with enough ingenuity and creativity to shake free from the formula and let emotion slide through. «Face to Face», «Jesus It’s You» and «Movin’ On» provide more than enough fodder for inspirational radio play, yet never sacrifice the album’s continuity as a pop/rock project.
Mylon is likely to spend as much time preaching at his concerts as the band plays, and Broken Heart – given its current goals – will certainly not be accused of making “art for art’s sake”, but, ultimately one must conclude that it matters little. Mylon LeFevre and Joe Hardy have produced a solid album of fine educational contemporary Christian music. The band is playing better, Mylon’s voice is stronger and ‘Big World’ is their best album yet. [Brian Quincy Newcomb, CCM, June 1989]
Promo, Girder Music 2024 Remastered Re-issue (CD/LP)
First Time on Vinyl in the USA, the vinyl was only ever released in the UK and Europe, back in 1989, and never been released in the U.S. until now. This vinyl comes pressed on Nitro Yellow vinyl and included 2 sided printed jacket. If you like over the top ripping guitar work and huge 80’s keyboards, then this is an album you need. This is true AOR hard rock masterpiece and one of those albums that have been requested over and over again by fans.
Big World was released in 1989 on StarSong Records at the height of the Mylon and Broken Heart career. Big World is Mylon’s sixth Christian studio album. The album opens with one of Mylon’s signature songs, the title track, a portion of which was used as the intro to Mylon’s short video series, Church on the Run, a daily digital devotional filmed on the road with his wife Christi. The album also yielded the radio hits, «Jesus, It’s You» (#5) and «Love Comes Down», which was #1 for four weeks in 1990. Another highlight is the rhythmic «Let Love Conquer», which features lead vocals by bassist Kenneth Bentley and a fiery guitar solo.
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/big-world/1781956830)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Fan Fare” – 1:15
A2. “Big World” – 5:11
A3. “Love Comes Down” – 3:12
A4. “Falling In Love” – 3:36
A5. “Face To Face” – 4:21
Side Two
B1. “Jesus, It’s You” – 4:26
B2. “Turn The Tables On Me” – 4:02
B3. “Remember The Future” – 3:57
B4. “Let Love Conquer” – 4:15
B5. “The Distance” – 3:09
B6. “Movin’ On” – 4:21
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by StarSong Records. The lead off track of the LP, “Fan Fare”, is only included on the vinyl version of the album.
A full-page advertisement for Mylon LeFevre & Broken Heart’s new album Big World and tour was featured in the May 1989 issue of CCM Magazine.
Big World, Remastered and pressed on Nitro Yellow Vinyl, Girder Music 2024
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