Search - Larry Norman :: Rebel Poet, Jukebox Balladeer: The Anthology

The Late, Great Larry Norman

Gord Wilson | Bellingham, WA USA | 05/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As with the Beatles, with Larry Norman you always got more. The record of Norman's Only Visiting This Planet opened up, with an additional flap of lyrics and notes. As Doug Van Pelt pointed out in HM magazine, The last song on each of his Trilogy albums ends with the title of the album. This CD carries on the tradition of mystery and magic: two flaps fold over the disc, with Norman's commentary for each song. Plus, there's a 24 page color lyrics and photos booklet and a sticker in the front flap.



This CD would be a great intro to Norman for those new to him, and also as a sampler for bands considering tribute songs. However, it doesn't scratch the surface of his musical output. Greg from Arena Rock began work on this compilation with Norman, even though it seems to be a tribute after the fact. Like most "Best of" collections, many of the songs are not what I would have chosen, but for an odd reason. As the Rolling Stone review notes, seven songs are from Only Visiting This Planet (1972). Why not just listen to the whole album? Also, the PR sheet from Big Hassle media quotes Frank Black talking about Norman's Street Level album, but no songs from that disc are included.



"Peace Pollution Revolution" is included (which is on Street Level) but the version here is from the MGM single, released in connection with the MGM album, So Long Ago the Garden. However, the single wasn't on the album, nor on some versions of the CD Norman himself released on his own Solid Rock label (I like the rougher Street Level version a lot better). Street Level, however, was released as a record in two versions, with one side entirely different. The first version, which Norman later released on CD, consists of songs from his rock operas (which were originally slated for Broadway), which are great songs, and which could have filled a collection like this one.



According to the liner notes, all twenty songs on this CD come from five albums: Upon This Rock, Only Visiting This Planet, So Long Ago the Garden, In Another Land, and Something New Under the Son (with one exception, People's cover of the Zombies' "I Love You"). That may be true of the songs, but not of the included versions. Upon This Rock was released on Capitol, but Norman remixed some songs when it was re-released on Impact. The songs on this CD listed as from the Capitol version are from the Impact version (which I think is a lot better than the Capitol one). You can hear the difference on the two disc collector's CD of Upon This Rock. The second disc in that set includes a radio show called Powerline, and has the Capitol version playing in the background.



"Ha Ha World", I think, is a great song. There are other versions, including one on a two record set, later released on CD, called Bootleg. "Rosemary's Baby (the Omen-666)" was recorded by Frank Black and the Catholics as just "666", in a very different version than heard here. "Nightmare no. 71" Norman says is one of a series of "nightmare songs" (like Bob Dylan's series of dreams songs). This is the epic version from So Long Ago, which also had a better known (and shorter) nightmare called "Be Careful What You Sign", also known as "38 Thornton Special" which is highly worth tracking down. There's also a nightmare on Something New, the underrated, little-heard album that inspired Frank Black while with the Pixies.



Norman left behind a canon of at least seven great albums (and many more great songs): Only Visiting This Planet, So Long Ago the Garden, In Another Land (known together as the Trilogy), Upon This Rock, Street Level, Bootleg, and Something New Under the Son. The tributes will be coming from unexpected places, like Frank Black and Modest Mouse, but bands looking for great songs to cover may want to check out the late, great Larry Norman."

Something Special

Bornintime | The East Coast | 06/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Please bear with my rambling thoughts here since I'm a newbie. I don't know how I missed Larry Norman. I'm in my mid 40's and have listened to a lot of Christian music since I was 19, but when I popped in this cd it was the first time I ever heard a Larry Norman song. It's not like I wasn't told about him. I can remember reading a list of the best Christian music albums in CCM Magazine many many years ago; Larry's "Only Visiting This Planet" was #1 on the list. I think my perception at the time was that this guy was some kind of flaky hippie, too old to have even a chance of impressing me (which is funny now since at the time I read the article he was probably in his mid to late 30's). I couldn't have been more wrong. If I had heard this music when I first became a Christian Larry Norman would have been near the top of my list of then favorite artists, right alongside people like Mark Heard, Dylan (I see some similarities and connections), U2 and Steve Taylor. This is music for young people but even now these songs really speak to me. There are a few things that strike me as to why Larry stands out from the CCM pack. First off - he's not part of that industry at all. When Larry's 1st album "Only Visiting This Planet" came out in the early 70's (almost all the songs from that album are on "Rebel Poet") there was no CCM industry. Larry was doing his own thing, not conforming to any preconceived ideas or sales strategy. This music is not formula by any stretch. It is all over the map as far as musical styles. Integrity and originality ooze from these songs. He is a very talented musician and a great lyricist. He's not holding back telling us what we want to hear. Like some other great artists I get the sense that he is a little dangerous, a little crazy, not always nice and a little bit of a genius. I like that. I've listened to enough CCM to discard 95% of it. There's great Christian music out there and most of it isn't on a Christian label. If, like me, you've never checked out Larry Norman you won't be disappointed by this disc."

Great Anthology - and overlooked gem!!

Thomas W. Earl | New York | 07/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For anyone to have to put together and Anthology it must be a hard task. Even harder to honor an artist after their passing. If it were me, this would have been a Larry Norman box set. And you will never please everyone with your selection of songs.



That being said I purchased two copies of this disc, one for me and one for my son. Not that I needed any of these songs because I already own them all but because I wanted to support Larry and his label even though he has passed on. I just want the reader to know that if you have never heard of Larry Norman it's because of his faith in Jesus and as most of us know, Jesus doesn't sell rock records. However, Larry Norman's music is right up there with the best of them, Dylan, The Beatles, The Stones etc. He came along in the late 60's to ride the wave of a changing format we call Rock-n-Roll. God got a hold of his heart and his music and Larry laid it on the line. His music is honest, to the point and truly what rock-n-roll was all about..pushing the limits. Larry pushed and the church pushed back but Larry didn't back down. Thanks Larry.



This cd is filled with great songs by Larry Norman for those who know his music and first time listeners. I hope that more people buy it who never heard of Larry's music, not to sell Jesus to you, but in hopes that you will enjoy a man and his music as much as I have for so many years. Rock-n-Roll missed this gem of an artist but you still have a chance to check it out. Don't be as snobby as the music business and take a chance, you just might get more than you bargain for."