SHALLOW WATER is a hard-edged product forged in the same tradition as Boston, Resurrection Band, and Styx, though not always as heavy. Originally released in 1979...

9 MP3 Songs
ROCK: 70's Rock, ROCK: 80's Rock



Details:
The Oregon-based Servant began with a classic rock sound featuring the twin lead vocal of Sandie Brock and Bob Hardy on blues-based songs that sometime recalled Jefferson Airplane. SHALLOW WATER is a hard-edged product forged in the same tradition as Barnabas and Resurrection Band, though not as heavy. The song âJesus Starâ allows guitarist Bruce Wright to churn out some admirable guitar riffs, and âFly Awayâ brings the album to a hand clappinâ, foot stompinâ conclusion. Along the way they also offer heavy covers of the Dogwood song, âWater Grave,â and the Sammy Hagar tune, âRich Man.â (Taken from the Encyclopedia of Christian Music by Mark Alan Powell)
Truly pioneers of Christian rock, this award winning debut album by Servant exploded onto the unsuspecting Christian scene in 1979, mocking the staleness and superficiality of Christianity without a social conscience. The debut release for Tunesmith Records out of Canada, SHALLOW WATER featured social commentary and progressive music (seared onto red vinyl, no less!) that was a tidal wave for the fledgling Christian music scene.
Known for their theatrics, light shows, and smoke bomb performances, many critic considered them too raucous to be authentically Christian. Yet, years and years of touring garnered the band legions of fans, winning them over with rhythmic, passionate rock music that would stir audiences. For the most part, it was like nothing they had ever heard before! In 1982 Servant was so well known they headlined a national tour where the ever popular Petra opened for them! This is a limited edition piece of Christian rock history!

KEY SELLING POINTS
**Limited Edition release
**Bob Rock (later of Metallica, Motley Crue, Skid Row) produced the album
**Out of print for over 15 years
**Digitally remastered for enhanced audio clarity
**Reflections written by founding member Owen Brock
**Lyrics included
**Track 6 included on the Retroactive Records, Lightning Strikes Twice compilation
**Band history included
**For fans of Rez, Barnabas, Jerusalem, and all quality arena rock, AOR.
**First time ever this ground breaking album has ever been available on CD!
**Years of touring made them one of the most popular Christian rock bands ever
**Demand for band product evidenced by outrageous prices being paid for the one album from their catalog that was available on CD for a brief time, and the high prices the vinyl records bring in the collectible markets.

TRACKS
Shallow Water, Rich Man, Here Comes David, Rejoice, Jesus Star, Water Grave, Cup of Water,Holy Roller Blues, Fly Away

ANGELICWARLORD.COM REVIEW

Servant, similar to Chicagoâs Resurrection Band, can trace its beginnings back to the Jesus Movement of the late sixties and seventies. Future Servant members Owen & Sandie Brock and Matt Spransy were brought together for the first time by the European evangelistic rock musical of the early seventies entitled Lonesome Stone. Once Lonesome Stone came to an end by 1974, however, Owen & Sandie moved to Victoria, British Columbia where the line up to the band â initially using the name Higher Ground â came together over the next several years. Canadian guitarist Bruce Wright was the first to join, while bassist Rob Martens, who had several chance meetings with Wright at a Greyhound bus depot and a guitar shop, was later recruited in early 1977. When drummer David Holmes caught a performance of Higher Ground at its coffee shop, the Upper Room drop in center, he immediately offered his services to the band- which was using a conga player at the time. Lead vocalist Bob Hardy became a Christian after Wright shared his faith with him and joined the band- now called Servant â shortly thereafter.

On a side note, it is worth pointing out that when keyboardist and computer wiz Matt Spransy returned from Europe, he formed a Joliet, Illinois based progressive rock band also called Servant (often referred to as Joliet-Servant) with Doug Pinnick of Kingâs X fame. After Joliet-Servant disbanded in 1980, Spransy saw Servant perform live in Chicago and later donated his truck and all his music and sound equipment to the band. Spransy eventually joined Servant in the summer of 1981 but not in time to record Shallow Water.

With its line up set, Servant began playing live extensively, polishing its skills by performing at Christian coffee houses and colleges, parks and bars and other secular venues. At around this time an intentional community, The Highway Missionary Society, started to emerge which also included members of the band. The community, in the words of Owen Brock, âwould become foundational as our lifestyles and music reflected our shared beliefs about the world, the church, Godâs kingdom, Christian community and compassion and justice for the poor.â Servant (and the community) eventually relocated to Grantâs Pass, Oregon in April of 1979 and, after becoming the first band to sign with the fledgling Tunesmith label, released its debut Shallow Water the very same year.

What Servant brings to the table on Shallow Water is slightly dated classic rock with a hard rock edge, creating a sound that, while not as heavy as contemporaries such as Resurrection Band, Barnabas and Daniel Band, delivers more than enough upfront guitar driven momentum. The album stands out with its versatility, delivering several energetic hard rockers (âJesus Starâ and âFly Awayâ), a heavy blues based number (âHoly Roller Bluesâ), a ballad (âCup Of Waterâ) and a hard rock anthem (âWater Graveâ). And that versatility keeps the album not only an interesting one but a consistent one as well in that it smoothly flows from one song to the next while including no filler tracks.

Servant stands out for having two lead vocalists of equal ability: Bob Hardy contributes a clean, classic tenor voice, while Sandie Brock brings a soulful but raspy vocal delivery. Bruce Wright proves a more than above average talent on lead guitar (check out his work on âHoly Roller Bluesâ) in addition to being a creative force in the songwriting department. Drummer David Holmes and bassist Rob Martens form a tight sounding rhythm section, while Owen Brock rounds out the mix on rhythm guitar.

As one would expect, the production values here are on the thin side. That being said, the album was recorded on a small Christian label using late seventies technology- so it only makes sense to cut the band a bit of slack. It is also worth pointing out that Shallow Water was engineered by Bob Rock- who went on to work with the likes of Metallic, Motley Crue and Ski Row.

I would also like to commend Servant not only on the quality of its lyrics but the content as well, the albums compositions combining the need for salvation with strong and at time biting social commentary.

Originally released in only the vinyl and cassette formats, Shallow Water was digitally re-mastered and re-issued on CD in 2006 by Retroactive Records. Extensive liner notes â including a detailed band history written by founding member Owen Brock â were included along with several never before seen photos of the band.

The albums title track begins to a minute of dialogue between the members of the band that gives way to the sound of waves washing upon the shore and an open air rhythm guitar. âShallow Waterâ proceeds to take off at a hard rocking upbeat tempo, Sandie putting the bands trademark biting â if not sarcastic â social commentary on display upon reaching its first verse with her raspy vocal delivery:

Well Iâm sittinâ by the TV and I think I might hit the sack
Life is pretty easy when youâre just kickinâ back
Iâve heard about the starving millions, I got my TV and radio
I know many are called, and I donât like to stall, but Iâm much too busy to go

The song proceeds to gain further momentum upon reaching a chorus that only serves to reinforce the bands message about waking up to the worlds needs:

Iâm walking on shallow water, thereâs no depth to what I do
If I try to go deeper I might disappear and Iâve got too much to lose

My overall feeling? Great song and the point is well taken but, guys, donât you think you are being a tad bit heavy handed here? The band effectively sums things up during the songs third and final verse:

Now Jesus called to Peter, He said âcome take a walk on the sea
Leave your fears in the boat and you will float, just put your trust in me

âRich Manâ, a track originally penned by Sammy Hagar, is a very nice though somewhat laid back number in which drummer David Holmes handles lead vocal duties with his smooth sounding voice. The song slowly moves through it verse portions prior to attaining a fleeting but catchy chorus backed by a touch of acoustic guitar. âRich Manâ is aptly named:

All the sliverâs been varnished, the linenâs white as snow
Iâm hiding in the library no one ever goes
And Iâm thinking about the wealth in this big old house around me
You know I feel so ashamed and poor because the Spirit hasnât found me

If I could lend someone a hand Iâd be a rich manâ¦

The upbeat hard rocker âHere Comes Davidâ is carried through its first and second verse to an effective blend of rhythm guitar and organ. Following an instrumental section in which Bruce Wright showcases his abilities on lead guitar, the song briefly stops dead in its tracks for its third verse before closing out its final several seconds in good bluesy fashion. The subject matter here is self-explanatory:

Well, way back long about 1400 and BC
Just after Moses had parted the Red Sea
The children of Israel were travelinâ light
They were carrying the ark way on into the night
The Lord had places for them to go
And He didnât have time to stop the show

âRejoiceâ was written by Joe Grier and David Eden of âEâ band which originally recorded the track in the early seventies for the Because I Am compilation. An acoustic guitar stands in support of Bob Hardyâs classic tenor voice during the first and second verse to âRejoiceâ. Abruptly picking up in pace as the rhythm guitar enters the mix, Sandie takes over on lead vocals and helps take the song in acoustic laced fashion to a chorus with a simple but straightforward salvation message:

For you He has paid the price
For you He was sacrificed
Rejoice, rejoice

The song goes on to take on an almost worshipful tone as Sandie sings acapella with only the drums standing in support:

Rejoiceâ¦lift your hands and praise the Lord
Rejoiceâ¦Clap your hands and praise the Lord
Rejoiceâ¦He loves you so He died for you

The album returns to its hard rocking ways with âJesus Starâ. Things get going to the voice of a DJ as âJesus Starâ gradually builds momentum, a near perfect blend of keyboards and bass guitar pushing the song forward until the rhythm guitar takes over at the start of its first verse. Tapering off, âJesus Starâ attains a sweeping chorus that starts in laid back fashion only to gain impetus at its end. âJesus Starâ finds Servant delivering more biting social commentary by, in the bands own words from the liner notes in the recently re-issued CD, âtaking a concerned swipe at the luxury of the Christian star making machinery being utilized to promote the simple teachings of Jesusâ:

Iâm a superstar for Jesus and my day begins at dawn
My time is in demand and my book is going strong
Well, I used to be a nasty, tâwas a bad dude in my day
Yâknow the press, they love my story
Who says crime donât pay, no way

I think it is worth taking a closer look at several more lines in the song (please keep in mind that the band is using a great deal of irony to drive its point home):

Oh they need influential people to get the gospel sold
Now thereâs fame in my name, and they can use that, use that, on the show

Iâm a universal Jesus star and Iâm really doing well
Ya know the gospelâs just too hard to take and without me it wonât sell

What else can you say except that Servant was definitely way ahead of its time hereâ¦

The album hits its stride upon reaching its excellent second half.

âWater Graveâ, a hard rock anthem composted by Steve Chapman (not to be confused with CCM artist Steven Curtis Chapman) and originally recorded by Dogwood and eventually The Imperials, is by far the albums strongest track. The song opens strongly to an authoritative riff underscored by pounding drums before slowing to a quietly played guitar line for its first verse. Building momentum throughout its second verse, âWater Graveâ culminates for an emotionally charged chorus with huge catchy hook. âWater Graveâ talks about exactly that:

Now in my house thereâs been a mercy killing
The man I used to beâs been crucified
And the death of this man is the final way of revealing
In a spiritual way to live I had to die

This song is so good that to this day it still sends shivers down my spine whenever I hear it. It would be great to hear a current metal/hard rock artist such as Narnia, Theocracy or Rob Rock do a cover of âWater Graveâ.

Sandie handles lead vocal duties on âCup Of Waterâ, a five minute ballad that slowly moves through its verse portions before the rhythm guitar steps forward in time to fortify an extensive chorus with a no-nonsense message:

Give a cup of water in the name of the Lord
We need to give away all the things that we have stored
Too much time spent thinking of ourselves
When all around us people crying out for help

In the end, âCup Of Waterâ, like many of the albums tracks, presents a challenge to wake up to the worlds needs:

Poverty surrounds us and we know itâs here to stay
After all what can we do they live so far away
Hungry little children theyâve got their hands outstretched
Begging for a piece of bread when will their needs be met

Bruce Wright lends his talents on both lead guitar and vocals on the blues based hard rocker âHoly Roller Bluesâ. After a blend of edgy rhythm guitar and bluesy lead guitar helps convey the song through its first and second verse, Wright steps forward and graces the scene with more of his razor sharp lead guitar work. During its third and final verse, âHoly Roller Bluesâ delivers a message that can be interpreted as being humorous but serious at the same time:

Ya know they call me a âJesus freakâ, yes and I do believe, do believe, its true
Yea, they call me a âJesus freakâ and I do believe, believe itâs true, yes I do

At this point the song closes as Wright asks over an open air rhythm guitar:

I want to ask you one last question before I goâ¦

I said I really want to know
I said I really want to know
Whose freak are you?

âFly Awayâ closes the album in a good upbeat and hard rocking manner. Introduced to a bit of screaming guitar feedback, the song takes off to a brief keyboard solo before a touch of backing vocals stands in support of Sandie during its first and second verse. The chorus that follows is carried in a catchy and non-stop hook filled fashion.

My final thoughts? I feel it is important to put things in proper perspective and give credit where credit it due. Yes, the music sounds somewhat dated and the production is a bit rough around the edges. That being said, Shallow Water proves quite the consistent listen in that all nine of its tracks hold up under repeated play. While âWater Graveâ is by far the albums strongest compositions, other hard rockers such as âShallow Waterâ, âJesus Starâ, âFly Awayâ and âHoly Roller Bluesâ hold up equally well. âCup Of Waterâ stands out not only for the strength of its music by lyrics as well.

Review by: Andrew Rockwell

Track Listing: âShallow Waterâ (5:02), âRich Manâ (3:39), âHere Comes Waterâ (3:36), âRejoiceâ (4:24), âJesus Starâ (3:36), âWater Graveâ (4:51), âCup Of Waterâ (4:53), âHoly Roller Bluesâ (3:33), âFly Awayâ (3:52)

Musicians
Sandie Brock â Lead Vocals
Bob Hardy â Lead Vocals
Bruce Wright â Guitars & Vocals
Owen Brock â Guitars
Rob Martens â Bass
David Holmes - Drums & Vocals

Also Reviewed: Servant - Rockin' Revival

Reference List
âServant & The Ever-Green Gospel Rock Machine.â Online article available at: http://www.ccmmagazine.com/features/1237.aspx
âThe Servant Story.â Online article available at: http://danroth.org/node/10