Posts Tagged ‘Psalter Music’

Pioneering album still provocative

Friday, December 27, 2013

Refugee

Robert Wolfgramm

Sara Thompson

Refugee 75 pxRemember the birth of contemporary Christian music in the 1970s? Neither do I. That was—dare I say it—decades before my time and CCM is now an industry that has changed dramatically in the years since. Or so I thought, until I listened to Robert Wolfgramm’s Refugee, remastered and re-released by Psalter Music.

The 11 songs on Refugee are an intriguing mix of blues, folk and rock, merged with gospel-based lyrics. The songs are iconic of the time, and like the rest of Bob’s music, the album is well loved and well produced.

From the catchy title track to the last strains of “Bring Back the Good News,” it’s clear why Refugee is a pioneering album. But what I found most surprising is just how relevant it still is—36 years later. This album is far more than just electric guitar riffs and talented keyboarding.

“Good Samaritans” likens the people around us to refugees drowning in our indifference and asks whether we’re doing “far too little, much too late.” Thought-provoking lyrics such as this make Refugee an album worthy of listening . . . again.

Sara graduated with distinction from Avondale College of Higher Education’s Bachelor of Arts degree in 2013. 

Award-winner’s “ambitious” album

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Send Me

Amy Cherry

Nathan Brown

On the eve of the release of Send Me (Psalter Music), Amy Cherry won the Psalter Music Prize at the Manifest Creative Arts Festival for her song “Your All.” It proved to be a worthy introduction to this collection of original, piano-based songs.

The nine songs on Send Me—“A Gift From Above” is an instrumental—each have something important to say. Often directly referencing Bible passages or stories, Send Me is reminiscent of classic contemporary Christian music such as early Amy Grant or Sandi Patty albums. Lesser songwriting might sink beneath the weight of the message but the songs on Send Me have a dramatic sensibility and atmosphere that is ready for the mission.

While Amy plays piano and carries the vocals with strong voice, additional instrumentation comes from what seems to be the usual Psalter crew, with a vocal cameo from the Mt Druitt Youth Choir. These musicians offer a healthy palette of sounds and textures to Amy’s songs, from the upbeat “Be Strong” to the more meditative but standout track “The Great I Am.”

Send Me is an ambitious and strong album. The music is memorable and the lyrics will leave you with something about which to think.

Nathan Brown is book editor at Signs Publishing Company and co-convenor of the Manifest Creative Arts Festival.