The Harvest Is Ripe (no label DSG-1) 1976
Six longhaired Aiken, South Carolina boys land a first-class winner on this custom Jesus rocker. Sort of progressive in a ‘70s FM rock sense, combining influences of Southern rock, country rock, hard rock and jazz rock. Lots of good electric guitar soloing opportunities coupled with a robust organ presence. The sound and production are decent as well, without being overly clean. Strong evangelistic thrust as titles like ‘Preach The Gospel’, ‘You Must Be Born Again’, ‘What The Lord Will Do For You’ and ‘Let Him Cleanse You’ indicate. Some pleasant acoustic ballads that remind me of groups like The Way. Closes with the lengthy ‘Resurrection Power’, a mostly instrumental melodic jazz-fusion piece with skillful trading of guitar and keyboard solos. Around 1000 made. (The Archivist by Ken Scott, 4th Edition).
Tracks:
01 – Let Him Cleanse You
02 – The Harvest Is Ripe
03 – What the Lord Will Do For You
04 – You Must Be Born Again
05 – Preach the Gospel
06 – Resurrection Power
I LOVE YOU MAN!
GOD BLESS,
JOE
Great sounds !!!
I woke up at 6pm thereabouts and have been listening to "Eternity Express" – soothes, brother .. soooooothes. So gentle and profoundly …rrrright on! … I was checking on my new website and looked in the RSS feeds and there it was "Sons Unto Glory" — Is it Christmas or what! I surrender, there are more albums I don't know about than I could ever imagine. Thank you kind sir.
This is a superb album and I can hear now why Senor Scott has given this a top-drawer! Amen!
You’ve been posting some amazing recordings lately. This is another good one. Hope your computer problems are behind you for awhile. I know how frustrating they can be. There are a couple of albums I have been wanting to hear for a long time. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you post one or both.
Fine Fine record here brother! Love the first tracks boogie feelin and the little Larry Normanism "This World Ain't My Home" thrown in, ha. Harvest Is Ripe is interesting jazz fusion stuff with surprise return back to some Allmanesque sounds at the end. More southern rock jazz throughout. Overall a very capable and versatile band having a great time. Hitch'in through Aiken once upon a time I may have run into these guys.
This is a bit of a gem. Very appealing in many places. Is the whole album up? It seems very short, and seems to miss one of the songs that Ken mentions.
Thanks for this blog. It is truly an internet highlight for me.
This is a great album. Had Maranatha allowed some of its groups to cut loose like this, they might have held on longer to their preeminence in the Jesus Music scene. And they might have broadened the reach of the music, too.
But one thing people forget is that there was an ongoing debate in the 1970's over how hard Chritsian rock should rock. Although some of the albums you post show that some didn't let this bother them, it's interesting to think about what would have happened if broader views would have prevailed.
Just dropping back to comment on how great this album is. It is solid, proggy, and funky. I love all the keyboard work: organs, electric piano, clavinet, some synth work. It really is a great record. I would love to know more about the band. Again, fantastic stuff. Thanks so much for your work Diakeno.
Thanks ya'll,I'm glad you liked this as much as we did living and playing it.
Bill Bentley
wow I'm making music and singing with two of the band members from this band in my Church today, its amazing to hear the transition of styles, they really captured the seventies and seemed to have spoke the language of the day, They had great quality in their production even then. They have gotten better with time….you should hear them now! I hate to compare their early stuff to the Doors or The moody blues….but thats the feel I get with the Sons unto Glory!…Chris J.
oh man…Found a sealed copy today.I like keeping a record sealed just for
the fact it is.If I don't find another copy soon,might just have to crack this one open.Sounds like a winner.
Wow, this takes me back! We had fun making the album and playing shows. Hello to Bill and Kent!
Scott Phillips
This is really good stuff. Is this the only album they ever recorded? The album does seem very short though. Is it perhaps missing a song (the instrumental)? Bob H.
This is pretty good, quite funky – hardcore evangelistic feel, but applied without pretension – you can feel the joy!
Hi to the band members putting in some comments! Nice that you're mellow about it being posted
Any info you would like about the music you can contact me at:
billjrbentley@bellsouth.net
Thanks for enjoying,
Bill.
For info on the band email:
billjrbentley@bellsouth.net
Hi!
Just requesting a non-megaupload re-up. Very interested in hearing this one! Could you message me if you do at
tim
(then)
hen
(then)
@
gmail
com
so it’s timhen, then the rest…
Just wanted to update on this album.It can now be downloaded at lametheband.com.Bill and Kent are now playing with the group LAME.
Thanks,
Bill.
The correct track listing is:
A1 What the Lord Will Do For You
A2 I Love My Lord
A3 Whispering Wind
A4 You Must be Born Again
B1 Lost in the Love of Jesus
B2 Preach the Gospel
B3 The Harvest is Ripe
B4 Resurrection Power
LOST IN THE LOVE OF JESUS
Sons Unto Glory, from The Harvest is Ripe
Written by Bill Bentley
Jesus
Praise Jesus
Lost in the love of Jesus
Lost in the way He loves me
Lost in the love of Jesus
Never to be found of this world again
I’m lost in the arms of the One
Who saved us from sin
Wooo!
Praise the Lord Hmmm
Thank you Jesus Hm-hm-hmm
I’ve been free from this world
I’ve been free never to return
I’ve been free in the city I’ll be
Hmmm hmmm
Praise You Lord hmm yeah
Hey hmmm
Hmmm hmmm
Jesus You’re our King
You make us sing
Sing so long
But still I can rock and roll
Thank you Jesus
For freeing our soul yeah
Hmmm hmmm
Hoo hoo
Never to be found of this world again
This world is not our home
I’m lost in the arms of the One
Who saved us from sin
He freed us
Praise You Lord