Saturday, June 23, 2018

Tommy James - "Christian of the World" (1971)


After his years with The Shondells, Tommy James had a relatively successful solo career. His Christian faith was hinted in some previous songs, but on this record the message was clear. The Christian theme doesn't in any way affect the quality of the songs negatively, it's beautiful melodies, groovy choruses and soulful gospel choirs mixed with catchy pop music. Tommy James had a gift of writing music many appreciated. The quality of the cover may be discussed, though.

The inside of the cover

Since I'm quite fond of bombastic choruses that sweep you away, I dig many of the songs. The gospel choirs make it swing. In general, Tommy James made quite positive music, which is also the case here. There are no depressing pieces that take the listener to a dark place, instead it's friendly, happy and easily accessible. And good. The songs are of high quality, even though they are so radio-friendly. Of course there are some more boring songs, which may be too cheesy, but overall a good record. And the older I've got, the less patience I have with songs that are too long. Therefore, I appreciate the 2-3-minute length of the songs. I never get bored, and the variation gets greater. So if you stumble upon the record in a thrift store, I think you should buy it. One does not have to fear the Christian message a number of songs display, it only makes them groove more.


Tracklist

Side A
1. "Christian of the World" - 2:45
2. "Rings and Things" - 1:55
3. "I'm Comin' Home"- 2:03
4. "Sing, Sing, Sing" - 3:05
5. "Draggin 'the Line" - 2:45
6. "Sail a Happy Ship" - 3:15
7. "Light of the Day" - 3:46

Side B
1. "Bits and Pieces" - 2:30
2. "I Believe in People" - 2:26
3. "Church Street Soul Revival" - 3:15
4. "Another hill to climb" - 3:10
5. "Adrienne" - 2:40
6. "Silk, Satin, Carriage Waiting" - 2:49



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