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Fight For the Light
Artist: Liberation Suite
Label: Independent
Length: 14 tracks / 66:44
Texas band Liberation Suite cut their teeth in the mid seventies on mission work and solid Christian ministry over here in the UK. Working in Ireland at the worst time of "the troubles" the band always were an outfit who liked to ensure the message was at the front of everything they did.
Their self titled debut album in 1975 became a classic piece of CCM, recorded in London. It would be six years before they ventured back into a studio for a follow up, again recorded in the UK. Over the years the line up has changed but the message hasn't. They haven't exactly flooded the market with Lib Suite releases but have managed to maintain a fan base interested in what they do. Having re-released a 25th anniversary version of their debut, it's nice to get a set of new songs from the current line up.
Musically, there isn't anything new here but the band seem to be having a great time rocking out on "Oh Lord You Know" which gallops along in a fifties rock'n'roll vein. And the band aren't afraid to turn everything up to eleven for some heavy blues rock on "Don't Forget Love"! Overall though this is within the blues rock genre, there's enough variety to keep things interesting.
Upbeat stuff like "Little Bit of Heaven" and "Babes & Fools" is solidly presented as the band demonstrate their chops when it comes to mastering a variety of blues styles. Highlights for me include the funky vibe to "Fight For the Light" which visits the truth of the need for us to be masters of our own thinking before the enemy tries to deceive us.
"Angel of Light" chills things out a little bit, slowing the pace but not for long because there is some blistering guitar to be enjoyed on "To Serve Mankind" as the band get down to a blues funk workout. There's even a Gospel tinged version of "Were You There" bringing their own slant to the traditional spiritual.
Overall, like Glenn Kaiser, it seems totally appropriate for one of Christendom's pioneering rock bands to still be making music more than a quarter of a century later and for them to join the myriad of rockers who have embraced the blues as an effective communication of their creativity. And it's also reassuring to find this bunch of rockers still passionately communicating their faith.
Welcome back Liberation Suite!
Mike Rimmer 9/14/2002
The Phantom Tollbooth
2002 Suite Dreams Records
14 songs, 66:16
By Randy Brandt
Al Menconi Ministries
March 18, 2003
Liberation Suite faithfully releases an album every decade. Their self-titled debut came out in 1975, followed by Stride for Stride in 1981, Water and Blood in 1992, and Fight For The Light in 2002. Randy Hill (drums, vocals, lyrics) and Howard Lyon (trombone, vocals) were founding members. Jim Hazel (guitars) joined the band on Stride for Stride, James "Doc" Yager (keyboards) came aboard for Water and Blood, and FFTL is the first album for Matt Sutherland (bass, vocals).
The band fittingly has dubbed their sound "Texas Rhythm and Roll," a funky blend of rock, blues, and gospel with hints of jazz and honky tonk, overlaid with seasoned harmonies and thoughtful lyrics. Fight For The Light offers up over an hour of music, starting with a remake of Oh Lord You Know (That I Feel So Fine) from their first album. This version has more of a Jerry Lee Lewis feel, thanks to "Doc" Yager's honky tonk piano sound, but the guitars are still prominent. If this doesn't get your foot tapping and your head bobbing, you may already be dead!
The title track is next, offering a "down home" live feel with a running commentary by vocalist Jim Hazel as band members showcase their bass, trombone, and organ skills. FFTL continues with numerous tasty instrumental solos, but never ignoring the lyrics. There's even some humor, as To Serve Mankind takes a tongue-in-cheek look at our culture's fascination with extra-terrestrials. Besides Fight For The Light and the bluesy arrangement of the traditional Were You There, Randy Hill wrote the rest of the lyrics. He reflects over the years in “One Word”:
Time rushes by / And I feel out of place / I'm dreaming of the day / We'll meet face to face / Oh God of my youth / Be the Lord of my life / And tear down this veil / That's been clouding my eyes
That honest struggle is countered by the ever-present hope found in Liberation Suite's music, as Tried and True proclaims:
Death holds no fear for me / It's life in disguise / Like waking from a dream / Into a world that never dies
Fight For The Light is for anyone who likes Texas blues, honky-tonk, a little jazz flavor, good guitars, and quality lyrics. If you're an old-timer who heard Liberation Suite back in the day, check out what they're doing now. If you've never heard of them before, this record is a great place to discover a band that offers more substance than most, thanks to their many years of seeking to serve the Lord with their gifts.
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