JESUS FREAK HIDEOUT
Let me first be honest with you, I was one of the unlucky many, born or at least born again too late to know the pure wonder of The Prayer Chain. What I do know, is that they were pioneers of the now budding independent Christian scene, pushing the envelope and being the saving grace for any respectable music fan. But even in my lagging stupor, a good song is still a good song and AudioLab Records is toasting these great song makers with Salutations: A TributeTo The Prayer Chain.
Viva Voce begins in their normal rare form with "Manta Rae" which was rare in the first place as Carrie Crash’s version of "Loverboy" is fair rock. Glisten’s "Mercury" makes a great track greater while "Bendy Line" from Brian McSweeney is good but seems too close to the original whereas Novice’s edition of "Waterdog" is a decent dirtier change. Luxury’s version of "Sun Stoned" apparently isn’t much different either while Michael Pritzl of The Violet Burning’s "Sky High" is, as you would guess, amazing. This is more along the lines of his new Gravity Show project though. Norika brings a swinging version of "The Hollow" while The Evoka Project modernizes the formerly almost hair metal "Crawl." Canary’s "Antarctica" is a worthy slow-moving track as The Northern Lights' "Chatterbox" is noble rock. For Lack Of Heroes' "Fifty-Eight" is another updated version while Ed Lamoso of Dear Ephesus ends things with a folk rock-flavored Jesus-filled "I Believe."
Tribute albums will always and forever be a double-edged sword. Half the crowd will hate you for changing a classic while the other half will hate you for making it sound too much alike. But whatever your case may be, Audio Lab has put out good music, and that’s all that it comes down to. For the gang that wants the old PC back, sorry; they’re going strong and moving on. Lead vocalist Tim Taber now runs the amazing Floodgate Records while heading up California’s own El Matador, while Eric Campuzano, Andrew Pricket, and Wayne Everett produce beautiful things, own the best indie label in the biz, Northern Records and have played in The Lassie Foundation, Charity Empressa, Starflyer 59, and much more respectively. But for those who want to go back to their roots, or at least get a feel for what a rock hero is all about, pick up Salutations and help the world salute The Prayer Chain, a band that has given so much but taken way less. -review date: 8/25/02, written by Blake
THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH
The Prayer Chain was one of those legendary bands that had great talent, put out some great music, and then went out in a flash. The guys who made up that band (Tim Taber, Eric Campuzano, Andy Prickett, and Wayne Everett) have all gone on to bigger things and continue to work together in various capacities to create and nurture some of the most exciting music out there. So its only fitting that some of the newer bands on the indie scene would want to honor the band by putting together a tribute album.
All in all this isn't a bad album. It doesn't suffer from the uneven sound of many tribute discs. Predictably, many of the artists come from Audiolab's own roster, as well as the Cut and Paste Collective, and in most cases you can hear how The Prayer Chain has influenced their work. Some of the better songs on the disc are Glisten's slow and dreamy rendering of "Mercury," Novice's version of "Waterdogs," "Chatterbox" from The Northern Lights, and Michael Pritzl's soul-filled version of "Sky High." - Ken Mueller 10/7/02
TONE & GROOVE
Imagine (or maybe you don't have to) that you're a musician. A certain band has delighted and inspired you. You find a few friends who like this band, too. A few fellow musicians. Imagine it's a somewhat obscure cult band like, say, The Prayer Chain. You and your friends have a band to bond over, but sadly the band is extinct. So, you put out a tribute album.
Enter Salutations: A Tribute to the Prayer Chain, a new compilation out on Audiolab Records. The Carrie Crash, Viva Voce, Novice, The Evoka Project, Brian McSweeney, and others present spirited covers of their favorites in ways that preserve the energetic dreamscape of The Prayer Chain's noise-laden, hypnotic, suck-you-in rock, without losing their own sonic identities.
The album has a nice flow, unlike many compilations, from the atmospheric stage setting "Manta Ray" by Viva Voce, through varying moods, from more rocking numbers to Brian McSweeney's touching, fragile "Bendy Line," and ending with a happy religious romp called "I Believe" by Ed Lamoso. Check out this compilation to get a taste of some good up and coming bands, and also a feel for the Prayer Chain, a band you should check out, as well, if you are able to track down their albums. - Jen Grover
TANGZINE
Lars Gotrich
The ill-fated tribute album. It's a mystery as to the constant interest in smaller record labels putting out these hit or miss compilations by bands not many people have heard of. Granted, I tried to put together a tribute myself; however, my list of artists was approved by the band being tributed and I feel they would have all done an incredible job. Fortunately or unfortunately, money and the band's unexpected re-formation killed the tribute. Thus, my first experience in putting together a record failed. Oh well.
The Prayer Chain holds (or held) an important place in many hearts. For me,The Prayer Chain gave me the realization that Christians could make incredible and inspiring music minus the cheese and fluff I had been fed up to that point (at the tender age of 12). Being raised in a family where "secular" music was screened frontwards and backwards, The Prayer Chain filled my need for great music. Strangely enough, my first album by TPC was not Mercury as it was for many, but rather their final album, Antarctica, with five new songs and some brilliantly recorded live tracks. Therefore, my basis for comparison to preceeding Prayer Chain albums has always been Antarctica's incredibly full sound (where Shawl regrettably failed, but nonetheless cranked out some powerful numbers).
To my surprise and curiosity, a small label put together a tribute to this ever-so-important band to the Christian realm of music. Without fail, the tribute boasts a track list full of bands that I've never heard of (with the exception of six, a little less than half the album). Of the six bands I recognize, all six do the Prayer Chain justice. The rest, well...Viva Voce don't stray too far from the simplicity of "Manta Rae." I almost wish they had done something other than the only Prayer Chain track to feature strictly female vocals (as Viva Voce does), but I guess I can't blame them. The looping tape interprets the original fuzzed out guitars well and includes some nice synth strings. The effect overall is charming as is the band's story of how they first met at a Prayer Chain concert. "Loverboy" as played by Carrie Crash slows the song and begs to be sped up. However, I appreciated that the band noticed the importance of the defined bass line at the chorus. The lyrics from which the album's name is taken are from "Mercury," originally a moody and sparse pop/rock song. Glisten takes "Mercury" and makes it radio-friendly reminding me of Vertical Horizon. Needless to say, I didn't like the interpretation.
The Prayer Chain took a chance with the Christian music industry playing "Bendy Line," a song written by Steve Hindalong (The Choir) about the beauties of (married) physical love. A classic in its own right by the passionate vocal delivery of Tim Taber and the outstanding background, I knew the remake of such a song would produce high expectations (especially in comparison to the live version on Antarctica). Brian McSweeney (of band Matthew) took the challenge and re-created "Bendy Line" without flaw. Over an acoustic accompaniment and the famous bended guitar line, Brian McSweeney's gorgeous vocals soar with such passion. Simplified with a bass-heavy keyboard, the bridge climaxes ever so subtly like the act of which the song speaks.
Luxury's version of "Sun Stoned" re-affirms why Luxury deserves oh-so-much more attention (which, unfortunately, still hasn't happened). They've taken the eight-minute epic and made it their own. They haven't completely strayed from the original, but have instead created even more layers than The Prayer Chain did in 1995. Beginning with a horn section and a random sample of a preacher's sermon, the song goes into a bass-n-snare-heavy ambience. The song gives way to just Lee Bozeman's reverbed vocals over a single-note piano line and grows with arranged horns, distorted guitars, blips, and what sounds like one of those toy laser guns. This track shows a side of Luxury none of us have seen and I would like see more of.
I always liked the live version of "Sky High" over Mercury's. The climaxes were bolder and the guitar solos just tore me up (the wah-wah did it for me). Michael Pritzl (The Violet Burning) starts off slow and dragging with a boring drum machine keeping the beat. I feared at first that this underground icon would not live up to his name. Thankfully, he revives the song for the bridge and goes into full band effect with distortion and all the good things that made the original. But he then goes back into the same boring pattern in the beginning. The result is mixed.
The last tribute worth mentioning is Canary's take on "Antarctica," the ambitious opening track to the album of the same name. Andrew Prickett, original guitarist for The Prayer Chain, said on the Northern Record message board that "Canary made 'Antarctica' actually sound like a song--that's a feat in and of itself." That's quite a high compliment coming from a former band member. Canary begins the song acoustically and with a subtle drum machine looping in the background. Jamey Bozeman's vocals barely hover and whisper, "be my love." The result is a soft interpretation that turns "Antarctica" into a tender, and spiritual love song.
One last mention might be made to Ed Lamaso (ex-Dear Ephesus) and his alt-country-fied version of "I Believe." The bands high-lighted make the tribute worthwhile (especially Luxury and Brian McSweeney) even to just hear Luxury's new-found experimentalism.
THE TORCH- XM31
The Prayer Chain. A band name thrown around on the ground floor of Christian music with reverence like Sonic Youth, The Clash and R.E.M. (prior to their mainstream breakout) were in the industry before alternative, post-modern music was acceptable. HM Magazine-#100 just named their CD, Shawl in the Top 50 Albums in "the second half of Christian Rock." It seems every cool kid with faith and guitar wants to emulate The Prayer Chain "ethos," recite their songs or get on one of the labels these guys work for or now own. And why not? At their core were four individuals who sought God for a life's passion of artistic worship, creativity and industry acumen. The band laid it down officially in 1998 in Chicago. Brett I. MacAlpine wrote of that night in Phantom Tollbooth, "It was between a band, their fans and God. The way it should be."
These days, Tim Taber (vocals), Eric Campuzano (bass) Wayne Everett (percussion) and Andy Prickett (guitars) are as musically busy as ever. Taber owns and operates Floodgate Records which has on its roster Dove Hard Rock Band of the Year in 2002, East West, innovative alt-pop rockers Denison Marrs (they just finished a tour with Switchfoot) and newcomers Cool Hand Luke. Also, Taber has on the label, Rita Springer a worshipper whose music is an extravagant offering of love to the Father. I asked Taber at Cornerstone what type of process he goes through in choosing bands for his Floodgate label. He just said, "I sign bands I like." He might be in the position to do that, but, what he likes is as diverse and creative as the projects he has always been involved with throughout his career.
Taber was the business guy ("I am weird that way," he says) in the band. He also has his own promotions company in Southern California and his name comes up from time to time in association with Soularize, a post-modern movement of art, music film and culture. He also has a band El Matador that plays out in the Los Angeles area. There is talk of going into the studio soon to record. Campuzano and Prickett work daily together as part of the creative force behind Northern Records, LLC. The artist roster includes: the ever present force known as The Violet Burning, new wave (not like the 80's) surf moderates, The Billions, former Fold Zandura drummer and consummate musician, Frank Lenz. Then, there is the always controversial Mike Knott, the mysterious Wayne Everett who just released his new solo effort, KingsQueens, and longtime friend of The Prayer Chain, Holly Nelson, who's new CD, Leaving the Yard is an awesome mix of classic American rock 'n' roll and passionate sweet vocals. Her music is destined for ears to hear. These former Prayer Chain members in one way run the label, produce and/or engineer recordings and are probably playing on anyone one of these artist's projects. Prickett is a member of The Violet Burning. Everett and Campuzano have done many musical things together including Lassie Foundation, Charity Empressa, and, both have been apart of Starflyer 59.
In 2000, when Northern Records launched it had one release of a collective of artists named Cush. It is the only other studio project where all four Prayer Chain members have taken part in the process since the demise of the band. The vision of Cush was given to Prickett, as he describes, "by God." The Cush manifesto (yes, the collective has one) says, "Cush is willing to change and grow with others. Willing to have anybody play any role, whoever is most suited for it at the time. Willing to be anonymous. Willing to be produced. Sharing, being selfless, letting go. Being Honest. The song winning. Soul. Letting your ego get you there, and then sacrificing it when the time comes. Music being able to be performed in any way, by any combination of people, in any setting."
Having interviewed Campuzano, Prickett and Taber via email in regards to their past together and the new CD, Salutations - A Tribute to The Prayer Chain put out on AudioLab Records, the Cush manifesto rings clear historically and today. Historically, because the "give and take" was not as easily understood and today because these guys are still good friends and co-laborers in a profession where egos ruin everything.
The Prayer Chain started out after Campuzano and Prickett's current band broke apart. Taber was in their Bible study at the time. He recalls, "As other bands broke up, we just came together. We had no clear vision when we started, but as we went on, making good music became the focus. We always wanted to have a gripping live show as well." Their first record was the Neverland Sessions followed by their first Reunion Record release entitled, The Whirlpool EP. The Salutations recording features "I Believe" from The Whirlpool EP. Taber comments, "I talked to Andy [Prickett] about [Salutations] and we like different songs." Ed Lamoso breaks down "I Believe" into a simple rock structure that lends to a folksy old school and collegiate southern mix of Neil Young, Pixies, The Band and Black Crowes. Lamoso lays it straight making it as happy as the song is dogmatic. The chorus, harmonica fills and electric folk twang emote a joyous hope as well as the assertive conviction the original conveyed with Taber and Michael J. Pritzl singing together. Prickett says it's his "favorite" and "the way the song should have always been." Taber comments, "I like that a lot of bands reinvented the songs. [It didn't work] so much on 'I Believe.'"
These comments do not dare say that one thinks the rendition is wrong and the other is right. They serve to show the characteristic of individuals who relate to the world and the artistic input of others in varied ways. In the music industry, that view is sometimes just shoved aside for the purpose of making a popular product. Taber observes, "sometimes there is no right or wrong in art, its just opinion." The emotion of Taber's vocals and melody writing on The Prayer Chain recordings were complemented by the urgent raw power of Prickett's guitars, and, Everett and Campuzano's rhythm. Furthermore, it was not often that Taber sang his own lyrics. On Shawl, Campuzano wrote most of the lyrics and actually the band had worked all the music out when Taber came into the sessions. Taber recalls, "With Shawl I came home from some trip and they had written some music and Eric had some lyrics. We put 'Never Enough' and '58' together in just a few minutes. Sometimes it just clicks." Campuzano replied, "I don't know who it was more difficult for. Tim did a great job. It is always hard to sing someone else's lyrics much less try to fit a melody to music that is already done. I guess you could say, we wrote songs the wrong way. But at the time, it worked. And again, kudos to Tim."
The fruit of the creative process became evident by their first full length CD, Shawl. It was not a typical cookie-cutter pop/rock record. There were great rock songs mixed with moody and introspective writing that would dominate the rest of The Prayer Chain's short lived career. Shawl helped set fire to the envelope of an industry wrapped in its fluffy context of Jesus pop and youth group rock shows. The title, Shawl is symbolic of the Hebrew garment or prayer shawl worn during those times before God. The CD is a reflection of the prayers and feelings that could be contemplated underneath the shawl. It contains songs about the emotions of a fatherless child ("Fifty-eight"), drug addiction ("Big Wheel"), a reaction to the grunge artists and musicians ("Psychoflange"), unadulterated doubt ("Dig Dug") and the accusations of the accuser ("Never Enough"). Shawl commented on the times and culture rather than being a work that emulated and copied the next big thing. Campuzano relates, "We wore our message on our hearts and our sleeves I guess you could say. We also promised ourselves that we would always tell the truth, something that is missing in Christian music still to this day."
Prickett adds, "Initially, we didn't necessarily want to be a 'Christian' band. But, we found our best songs had to do with us being honest about our lives and how Christianity fit into them. From then on, we sort of had this unspoken mission to be as good musically, as any secular band we liked, and to write about the real issues that real people who are real Christians face - good,bad and ugly."
Mercury further demonstrated where The Prayer Chain were headed with its use of various percussion instruments, epic arrangements and just flat-out creative music making. Most of the tracks chosen for Salutations come from this CD as well. Campuzano calls Mercury, "the record that defines us." It's spacey, contemplative and cutting edge with poetry and passion marked by the instrumentations of the heart in a burning of anguish and remorse. He was reportedly upset when it came back from the record company and they asked for two more songs. The pressure to make a 'hit record' was getting to them and it would be their last record for Reunion. In hindsight, Taber believes, "if we had come out five years later we may have been embraced more." Prickett adds on the marketability of their music, "when we started, there weren't very many bands that did the touring thing, or had merchandise in this genre of music. Alternative was still alternative to something, you know? Now it's as mainstream as anything else, so its way easier for bands to get accepted. We got the cold shoulder from most industry types at the time, because they couldn't hear $$$ in our music. That is, until Nirvana and Pearl Jam broke through. Then, it was like wildfire. The next wave (punk/ska, etc.) really got to capitalize on all that, whereas we had to try and prove its vailidity."
For a finale, The Prayer Chain's recorded history ended with their 1996 Brainstorm Artist's International (Gene Eugene and Ojo Taylor) release, Antartica. The CD featured a live performance from Azusa Pacific University as well as some new numbers including "Loverboy" which was a song Taber lyrically penned for his wife, Tracy. It is one of the two songs from the CD done on Salutations. The rendition done by Carrie Crash is close to the original with its distorted guitars and contemplative vocal delivery. It also brings forth the intended pop element. One of the surprises is the cover of "Antartica" by Canary. An independent outfit with releases on the Cut & Paste Collective (Viva Voce's homegrown label), Canary found the real beauty of the song by letting the lyrical melody breathe, exposing the romantic meaning.
Antartica's studio portion was filled with noisy sounds and tones of destruction. Even amongst its beauty was overt reaction to what tugged at the hearts of The Prayer Chain internally. The basic structure of "Loverboy" was a pop gem by industry standards. However, the overbearing french siren guitars and horns (they are really cool!!) sabotaged any hope of mainstream acclaim. "Friend or Foe" is another power pop rock song brillliantly conceived but bruised just enough to make you cry. Like Love Battery, My Bloody Valentine, or Dinosaur Jr. it had too much nerve. Antartica represented the cold bitter end. Taber reflects, "The Prayer Chain had four guys with different views, philosophies, personalities and it was that diversity that made it interesting and led to our demise."
Campuzano further articulates, "We challenged each other too much. We carried too much baggage and could no longer write with each other. We could not trust, much less love each other anymore. And for any relationship, those two things are much too devastating to over come. [This stuff] and the biz all but killed us. Art and commerce. Love and trust. And throw in Jesus Christ and we're doomed."
The liner notes on the Salutations offers great insight from producer, Steve Hindalong on the wonderment of personality within The Prayer Chain camp, and, a story or two during the recording processes. They all look back now in hindsight having gained a world of proverbial experience. Prickett comments that musically, "learning how to write as a collective was important-everybody having their say. The greater good of the song being the utmost consideration. Insanity having a purpose. How to work with people whether you like them at the moment or not, because you share a goal that is more important than you."
Salutations carries respect for the creative process well. Although, I have to admit, it is somewhat dark in interpretation and passive in its approach. Campuzano contemplated "as to why everybody more or less slowed down the songs" all the while shocked, "that anyone would care at all" to make a Prayer Chain tribute album. The Evoka Project really brings home the overall mood with their version of "Crawl." Where The Prayer Chain sing and play like Jeremiah pronouncing the impending doom of "shine," The Evoka Project sound as if they have been living with the prophetic reality of "rain." It's a glorious interpretation.There are exceptions to that passivity with Michael J. Pritzl doing a grand modern glam rendition of "Sky High" reminiscent of Ziggy Stardust or Iggy Pop and his own Violet Burning's - Demonstrates Plastic and Elastic. Brian McSweeney contributes a performance of "Bendy Line" that is heart-wrenching as he aims to convey the meaning of the lyrics penned by The Prayer Chain producer, Steve Hindalong. The song is stripped of its spacey tones and guitars in exchange for an earthy acoustic approach.
For all the bashing the record companies take in Christian music, Reunion Records allowed The Prayer Chain much latitude and gave them the best mentor they could have in Hindalong. According to Taber, "Shawl had no input from the record company," and, "our A&R guy, Chris really believed in us." Hindalong whom Campuzano, Prickett and Taber refer to as the "fifth member of the band" oversaw this hands-off approach. Prickett remarked, "[Steve] encouraged us away from anthem stuff to even more introspective, meaningful things. And, he indulged our desires to be musically - a bit crazy, whether he though it was good or not."
Furthermore, much of what was learned was undulterated "grace" as Campuzano puts it. He says, "I have three great friends who I love dearly, although a bit uncomfortably. I think it is a miracle that we are still friends which is much more important than The Prayer Chain." As well, Prickett states, "being friends is the best part. It is the only part that matters right behind what God did in people's lives through it all."
Taber is grateful for his friends too. He states, "I'm not as tight as I once was with the other guys, but we are friends and I am glad we are. Its fun when we get together." They have gotten together for a gig here and there although a formal reforming has never been in the works. A get together will take place at the 20th anniversary of Cornerstone Festival this July. One show was recorded for the CD, A Live Tribute Recording For Gene Eugene. Gene Eugene was a man who worked tirelessly towards the effort of producing quality progressive Christian music. His own band, Adam Again were pioneers and his home studio, The Green Room, is a legendary recording space. He mentored many artists in progressive Christian music including The Prayer Chain members. He passed away in 2000.The CD is distributed jointly by Northern Records and Floodgate Records and the proceeds go to the Gene Eugene Memorial Fund.
These days, the former members of The Prayer Chain take that same craziness and servant approach to the creative process with their respective labels and band operations. The music scene is much different. Campuzano estimates, There are about 10,000 bands out there as opposed to 50." Prickett admires, "most bands start way younger and are better songwriters when it comes to mass appeal then we are." Though not what some would call "radio friendly," Salutations is a reflection of the creative process and what perspective other artists see when they hear those inspirational Prayer Chain songs.
- Thomas Augustus
1340 MAG
The Prayer Chain was one of those bands that were artist’s favorites. Sure they had their following when they were around, but it seems like they were the most appreciated by their contemporaries. This tribute album is extremely fitting because of this fact. The track list appears to be almost a who’s who of veteran Christian underground alternative bands. Names like Viva Voce, Luxury, The Violet Burning, Seven Day Jesus (ok, so they had moderate pop success), Bleach (ok, they had a good deal of success), Glisten and Dear Ephesus are all represented either as a whole or by former members on this compilation. Those artists are the ones who show the keenest sense of these songs in their reinterpretations as well. Viva Voce’s version of "Manta Rae" is full of big hip-hop beats and soothing female vocals. Luxury is unpredictable as always with a horn driven version of "Sun Stoned" that although is no-where near the jangly pop of their earlier albums, completely fits in with what we can expect from Luxury. Michael Pritzl (of The Violet Burning) does a totally chill version of "Sun Stoned" for the first 2 minutes before it breaks out in a nice fuzzy rock song. Quite possibly the strangest and coolest song of the record is Ed Lamoso’s (of Dear Ephesus fame) alt-country version of "I Believe". This is a great album with a bunch of really cool variations of some rad songs. - Rob Froese
DECAPOLIS
Matt Modrich
“Salutations: A Tribute to The Prayer Chain” is a project put together by AudioLab Records. It features 13 bands and artists doing some of The Prayer Chain’s best songs.
The Prayer Chain was one of the first “Christian” bands to break new ground in an industry that was known as a second rate rip-off from the mainstream. In the early to mid 90s the band was part of the grunge/alternative era, but The Prayer Chain managed to create music that continues to inspire people years after the group's breakup.
Unfortunately, “Salutations” doesn’t do The Prayer Chain justice. While there are a few recognizable contributors like Viva Voce, Brian McSweeney from Matthew and formerly of Seven Day Jesus, Luxury and Michael Pritzl from The Violet Burning, the rest are practically unknown, which is understandable since AudioLab is an indie label.
Brian McSweeney’s “Bendy Line” is an awesome Tim Taber impression. Glisten’s cover of “Mercury” is another remarkably accurate rendition of the original. However, the last song on “Salutations,” Ed Lamoso’s alternative country sounding “I Believe” was perhaps the most enjoyable track on the record because it succeeded at changing a Prayer Chain song for the better.
In comparison to other tribute albums, “Salutations” actually isn’t that bad. It’s probably better than the Keith Green, Petra and Stryer “tributes.”
Director of National Independent Music For Ultimate Vision Ministries
Jenny Suhs Soldan - December 4, 2002
During the 1990's, The Prayer Chain were true pioneers, setting the scene for quality alternative Christian music, and yet they were also one of the most overlooked bands in the industry.
Finally, more then ten years after their debut, comes Salutations—A Tribute To The Prayer Chain. This project is not only impressive in and of itself, but is made up of artists who deserve attention on their own creative merit. Viva Voce, Glisten, Brian McSweeney, Luxury, and Michael Pritzl are just a few of the artists who contribute to this project. I am personally impressed with the disc's fourth track, "Bendy Line," which is performed by Brian McSweeney, as well as the songs "Sky High" by Michael Pritzl, Glisten's "Mercury,"and the noteworthy "Crawl," offered up by The Evoka Project.
This is an essential disc for true fans of The Prayer Chain.
