Spirit Of Christmas - Lies To Live By (1974, Can, concept psych/prog rock, Lasers Edge CDrip, flac, cue, log, artwork)
Lies to Live By is essentially the third album release by the Canadian band Christmas. After the release of the Heritage album, they were beset with management and label problems over the direction of the band's next album. The music scene in Canada was in disarray and bands such as April Wine, the Guess Who, BTO, and Chilliwack had hits with commercial hard rock songs. The Heritage album was a start in the right direction and the label wanted the band to continue with hard rock but make it more radio friendly. Christmas had other ideas about where their music was heading. In 1973, a new album was recorded that was a radical change from the hard rock sound of Heritage. The album ended up being tied up in legal wrangles and was not released until 1975 when the band decided on a name change to the Spirit of Christmas to avoid legal complications associated with the "Christmas" name and to release the album. This time out (The Spirit Of) Christmas went totally toward a guitar-fronted progressive sound complete with Mellotron, a chamber orchestra, special effects, intricate piano work, and lush backing choruses. In the similar vein of such acts as Genesis, Gentle Giant, and Yes, Lies to Live By was a total departure in sound from anything recorded by a Canadian band to date. The six songs on the album are broken into conceptual chapters, each with a different theme that intertwines throughout the song while half of the songs clock in at close to nine minutes or more. The album was an instant hit with critics and progressive music fans worldwide. Despite the critical acclaim of the album, Daffodil Records was in trouble and the album did not receive the promotion and support it deserved. Soon after release of the album, the label folded and with it the hopes of (The Spirit Of) Christmas. Left without a label, the band also decided to call it a day and broke up. In the late '80s and '90s the Lies to Live By album became a highly sought after collector's item with originals changing hands for hundreds of dollars. As a direct result of the interest in the band's early albums, Christmas re-formed in the mid-'80s for a couple of local concerts. Still regarded as one of the best progressive rock albums to come out of Canada, this release by Unidisc is a straight reissue of the original album at a budget price complete with original artwork, but, unfortunately, it contains no bonus tracks.
(~ Keith Pettipas. CanEHdian.com, 2000) by dunkel-inderholle
Tracks:1.All the Wrong Roads
2.Stay Dead Lazarus
3.Voice in the Wilderness
4.War Story
5.Factory
6.Beyond the Fields We Know
Spirit Of Christmas:
Bob Bryden (vcls,gtr)
Robert Bulger (ld gtr)
Tyler Raizenne (bs)
Helge Rich Richter (drms)
Preston Wynn (vcls, clvs,gtr)
[Rip and Scans by gigic2255]
Link: 259 mb/file // 3% recovery
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Oh Yeah…I listened to this material repeatedly – it is really great!
ResponderExcluirThe same team, except that the name Spirit Of Christmas. The album is a natural continuation of Heritage, but in place of the psychedelic elements appeared rich, almost progressive sound.
Spirit Of Christmas “Lies To LIve By” LP. It was original issued by
Daffodil Records (DAF 10047) Canada in 1974.
From the ashes of Oshawa’s Reign Ghost members Bryden and Richter jammed with several Oshawa-area musicians to try and convince Paragon Records to sign the band by doing a ‘Top 12 Hits’ session that also included three long original ‘jams’. Initially, nothing came of this session recorded in early 1970.
Without the band’s permission, Paragon released the early jam session tape as ‘Christmas’ on the same day as an unauthorized second Reign Ghost album.
By this time – July 1970 – Christmas was already recording their official ‘debut’ album for Daffodil. In late 1970 ‘Heritage’ finally saw the light of day and included the first single “Don’t Give It Away”. The record failed to make waves as did the follow-up single “Point Blank”. Daffodil was desperate to break the band commercially and had them record the Neil Sedaka tune “I’m A Song, Sing Me” as a non-album single in 1971. However, it seemed the band’s penchant for bizarre and left field progressive arrangements left Christmas out of the radio loop.
The decision was soon made to add vocalist Preston Wynn and a change in name occurred. Because it took nearly two years to record their next album – due to Daffodil’s financial problems – ‘Lies To Live By…’ was finally released in 1974 under the name The Spirit Of Christmas in an attempt to establish both a distinct identity and water down their previously perceived public persona.
Long forgotten progressive/psychedelic masterpiece from Canada, that was originally released in 1974, is really the third album by Christmas and features Reign Ghost guitarist Bob Bryden. A majestic concept album, that still sounds contemporary and vibrant with some excellent musicianship and lyrical ideas..
ResponderExcluirLed by Bob Bryden, who had earlier played in the Toronto, Ontario-based Reign Ghost, Christmas played in Oshawa, Ontario, between 1970-74. In the later years they were known as Spirit Of Christmas. When they formed on Christmas Day in 1969 their average age was just 17.
Christmas is best described as a progressive underground band. They were originally known as Black Christmas. The first album consists of three Bryden compositions characterized by lovely vocals and guitar work and two instrumentals composed by the whole band. One of these, the ambitious Jungle Fabulous, accounts for all of side 2. This album is their rarest artefact.
Heritage consists of heavy progressive underground rock and has its moments, particularly on Zephyr Song, April Mountain, which has some fine guitar work, and the title track. All the songs on the album were written and arranged by Bryden.
Lies To Live By is really their finest moment and arguably one of the best albums to come out of Canada in the 1970s. Very imaginative progressive rock. Almost every track is excellent and this album is strongly recommended.
A remixed version of the album track “Graveyard Face” was released as a single in early 1975 but radio success was not to come their way and the band folded not long after.
Bulger joined Moxy’s Buzz Shearman in Buzzsaw; Bryden went on to be in Age Of Mirrors and Benzene Jag, enjoyed a lengthy solo career and produced several alternative acts such as The Forgotten Rebels; Richter was last seen back in Oshawa; Raizanne played in Threshold with Bulger.
Christmas saw a cult revival in the early ’90s with two of its three albums re-issued on CD through Laser’s Edge Records in New Jersey. A long sought after live album from a 1971 show opening for Crowbar at Massey Hall was issued by Remember The Alamo/Zapp Records in 1989 on a limited edition 300 autographed copies vinyl LP. It was reissued on CD in 1998 along with the two Daffodil albums by the Quebec-based Unidisc.
Gigic,despite the fact that I have this album a long time, thank you for putting it on the into circulation here! perfect job!
Yours,
Adam.
Impossible to download ?
ResponderExcluirSosgotcha
great blog, really !!
ResponderExcluirbut is it possible to use another filehoster, i only got the message
no download for free users !
It's very interesting, very much of the UK type progressive of the time.
ResponderExcluirHi, the link is dead. Please could you re-up?
ResponderExcluirThanx in advance.