Wednesday, July 24, 2013

MYLON (WE BELIEVE)

Mylon Le Fevre was born on October 6, 1944 in Gulfport, Mississippi. As a young child he sang and played guitar with his family in the Southern Gospel music group The LeFevres. When he was seventeen, Mylon wrote his first song, 'Without Him', which was recorded by Elvis Presley and countless other artists. Mylon was a member of The Stamps Quartet from 1966 to 1968. His first solo album was 1964's NEW FOUND JOY. He followed it in 1968 with YOUR ONLY TOMORROW. His first mainstream album was 1970's MYLON (WE BELIEVE) on Cotillion Records. It hit the scene just after Larry Norman's debut UPON THIS ROCK in 1969. Musicians Mylon used on the album include: Kim Venable, Barry Bailey, and Dean Daughtry. It was produced by Allen Toussaint.

A classic rock version of 'Old Gospel Ship' starts things off. It anticipates the afterlife: "I'm gonna take a trip in that good old gospel ship/I am going so far beyond the sky/I gotta shout and sing until all heaven's gonna ring/Well, I'm gonna leave this old world/Goodbye!" 'Sunday School Blues' includes great electric guitar licks and gospel style background vocals like those found on Bob Dylan's SAVED album. It is a song of humility: "I don't wanna tell you how to live/I don't wanna tell you what to do/I don't wanna tell you what to do/But forgive me, you got to be you/I don't want you to accuse/And I don't want you to refuse.../I paid my dues and I got nothing to lose/Please don't let me get those Sunday School blues/I'm not tryin' to tell you I'm right/I'm not tryin' to tell you you're wrong."

'Who Knows' is a happy sounding rocker that points to God as Helper: "You know, He knows where you've been, He knows what you've done/He knows when you're lost, He knows when you're gone/He knows how you feel, He hears what you say/And He can lift you up, He'll show you the way/When you're in trouble He can lend you His hand/He can take you through to the Promised Land." 'Sweet Peace Within' makes good use of the organ. It is evangelical in nature: "I've been thinking lots of things/'Bout the feelings freedom brings/That's the reason I have got to sing my song all day long.../There's one question got to ask you my friend/What's gonna happen when you reach the end?/Are you going to have that sweet peace within my friend?"

'You're Still on His Mind' points to the fact that we don't serve a God who is detached from us: "When He made the crystal sea for you and me to contemplate/When He made the tallest tree for you and me to appreciate.../You were on His mind (2X)/Think about that lonely day on cruel Calvary/Think about the way He suffered death for you and me/When you face reality, know that you will find/You were on His mind." 'Trying to Be Free' features heavy percussion and shares the Gospel: "And God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son/And all you gotta do to live forever is to believe."

'Searching for Reality' has a psychedelic rock feel to it. It is about spiritual exploration: "Searching for reality/I find my maturity brings all my insecurity and I guess it shows/Life becomes so complicated/Some people get inebriated/Others get high and feel elated/They say their mind grows/Mentally it's so complex/I feel that I might be the next to lose my soul and that reflects my philosophy." 'Pleasing Who, Pleases You?' is a country song. It is the song of a man after God's own heart: "I have found peace of mind and I can see/Pleasing You, pleases me/I'm gonna keep on tryin', I will/Tryin' to climb that highest hill/To the Promised Land/Sometimes I will, sometimes I won't/Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't/Understand/All this trouble, hunger, and strife/It's hard for me to live this life and still be free/Pleasing You, pleases me."

'Contemplation' is an easy listening song. 'Hitch Hike' is slow Southern rock. It is the song of a restless soul: "There's a mountain over there I have got to climb/There's a sea over there that I must sail/I have been in this road far too long/But I think I feel a hitch hike comin' on.../Once again I put my faith in things of this world and once again they let me down."

'Peace Begins Within' is a boring, repetitive track. 'The Only Thing That's Free' again strikes an evangelical chord: "The only thing that's really free is nothin'/That's what they tell me/But nothin's not good enough for me.../But I don't want to think for you/No, I want you to decide/But please don't forget the reason that for you and me He died.../I just want to see you happy and to know at least you heard about the King."


I recommend MYLON (WE BELIEVE) to fans of other early Jesus Music artists such as Larry Norman, Resurrection Band, and Randy Stonehill. This is classic Christian rock music. The music is raw and manly if you will. Mylon's faith comes across as fresh, passionate, and alive. There is no doubt his desire was to share his faith with his listeners. I'm rating this one 90%. Visit www.mylon.org