ZapTown

Sonseed
Jesus Is A Friend Of Mine
Arena Rock Recording Co.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, religious albums, intentional or not, have been the victim of schlock. Be it The Louvin’ Brothers’ Satan Is Real or Rev. Eli and his Now Church, religious albums have been the butt of many album cover jokes or revivalist puns (Jerry Falwell is a perfect example).

From the ’80s to the 21st Century there has not been much fuel to the spiritual fire until now. With Sonseed’s Jesus Is A Friend Of Mine, you might be initially confused as to what exactly you are listening to and why. But there is a correlation to those groovy platters of then and Sonseed of now.

The group was a Christain pop band from the ‘70s who formed at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn. They released their first album First Fruits in 1983. Fast forward to 2009, Jesus Is A Friend Of Mine includes selections from the Fresh Fruits album.

At first listen of this dated sounding material, you practically sit back in horror at what you are hearing. I can imagine it to be the equivalent to a kid today who is seeing a Sid and Marty Kroft show for the first time.

But after listening to this EP a few times, things start to stick. The upbeat ska title track starts bouncing in your head. The ‘70s soul and gospel rock of “Oh Happy Day” thumps about making you equally thankful this is the last song of the EP while wishing this album was just a little bit groovier.

When Sal Polichetti sings, “He taught me how to pray and how to save my soul. He taught me how to raise my God and play rock and roll,” you can’t help but say right on, even when the schlock can go so far before it tires out and becomes forgotten.

Links:

For the video of “Jesus Is A Friend of Mine,” which was featured on the Dougspoitation Blog, click here.