Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Although this band were formed at the height of the Jesus Movement in the late '60s, it wasn't until 1973 that they recorded this debut album. Like many freaks who got saved back then, the band lived communally and played just about everywhere. They were also quite a fluid line up but effectively were a five piece at the time of making this album. Most prominent was blues guitarist Glenn Schwartz, the original guitarist with rock band The James Gang who quit mainstream rock success to play Jesus rock and to minister. This is very much an album of its time where radical ideas, politics, hippie ideals and Jesus all created a potent mix. The band were sold out in reaching others and the songs reflect the issues around them. The title cut effectively critiques what's going on whilst "Tom Miller" pays tribute to the former band member killed in a car accident after he was made famous during the Kent student slayings where national guardsmen shot demonstrators. Musically, this is a mixture of bluesy boogie and drifting, earnest, folky songs. Personally it feels as though the bluesy material has travelled better over time and in Scwartz, they had a master. At times though, this sounds like two different bands sharing a record. So highlights for me are the swamp rock of "Daughter Of Zion" and "Great Victory", the blues of "Elder White" though the gentle acoustic "There Is Still Hope In Jesus" is a fabulous period piece with its uncompromising gospel message. Driven by the band's fervour, they released three more albums before they folded in 1981.