UPC: 639980007022
Format: CD
Release Date: Jun 09, 2009
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Sonseed: John Wieners (vocals); Frank Franco (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals); Nicky Sciarra (drums, percussion); Tommy Zawacki (congas, percussion).
Personnel: Frank Franco (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals); Karen Archer (12-string guitar); Jimmy Archer, Joe Ciccone (background vocals).
Audio Remasterer: Carl Saff.
Recording information: Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, NY.
Sonseed is a born-again Roman Catholic rock band that cut one light rock album in 1983 called First Fruit. The band made a second album that went unreleased and broke up. In 2008 a clip of the band playing a ska-flavored song from the album called "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine" appeared on the pop culture site Dougsploitation.blogspot.com. Its irresistible beat, driving bassline, rinky dink keyboards, and the bright pop vocals of bass player, lead singer, and main songwriter Sal Polichetti made it a YouTube sensation with millions of downloads. The band never intended to be professional musicians and only made an album because friends kept asking them for copies of their original songs. (The rest of the set list was made up of traditional hymns that the group arranged for a rock band.) This EP reissue has the band's four original tunes, and a cover of the Edwin Hawkins' Singers' "Oh Happy Day" given a disco-lite arrangement. "Sonseed" is a vaguely psychedelic song that likens faith to a blossoming fruit tree. Polichetti's high tenor has a pure pop sheen supported by the massed choral of the backing vocalists and some groovy flute work. It's a good tune, but perhaps a bit too sincere for unbelievers. "Another Kind of Love Song" is sung by keyboard player Patricia Costagliola and blends pop and old-fashioned church choral singing. She has a fine voice, and the song could be a love song as well as a profession of faith. "The Open Door," again with Costagliola singing lead, is less interesting, a typical light rock tune. "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine" is the runaway hit and the EP's best track by far. Its expression of faith is so optimistic it almost sounds like a parody, but once you hear the tune it's impossible to get it out of your head. It could be a kid's song it's so simple, but its driving beat and sharp instrumental track have a timeless feel. Why it wasn't a major hit the first time around is impossible to say; it's so bright and bouncy it's guaranteed to keep you hitting the replay button. There were 17 singers and musicians in Sonseed during its short history. Today one plays guitar in an oldies band, one is a priest, Polichetti still performs in musical theater, and Costagliola made two gospel albums before landing a job as a professor at the University of Washington. ~ j. poet
Personnel: Frank Franco (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals); Karen Archer (12-string guitar); Jimmy Archer, Joe Ciccone (background vocals).
Audio Remasterer: Carl Saff.
Recording information: Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, NY.
Sonseed is a born-again Roman Catholic rock band that cut one light rock album in 1983 called First Fruit. The band made a second album that went unreleased and broke up. In 2008 a clip of the band playing a ska-flavored song from the album called "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine" appeared on the pop culture site Dougsploitation.blogspot.com. Its irresistible beat, driving bassline, rinky dink keyboards, and the bright pop vocals of bass player, lead singer, and main songwriter Sal Polichetti made it a YouTube sensation with millions of downloads. The band never intended to be professional musicians and only made an album because friends kept asking them for copies of their original songs. (The rest of the set list was made up of traditional hymns that the group arranged for a rock band.) This EP reissue has the band's four original tunes, and a cover of the Edwin Hawkins' Singers' "Oh Happy Day" given a disco-lite arrangement. "Sonseed" is a vaguely psychedelic song that likens faith to a blossoming fruit tree. Polichetti's high tenor has a pure pop sheen supported by the massed choral of the backing vocalists and some groovy flute work. It's a good tune, but perhaps a bit too sincere for unbelievers. "Another Kind of Love Song" is sung by keyboard player Patricia Costagliola and blends pop and old-fashioned church choral singing. She has a fine voice, and the song could be a love song as well as a profession of faith. "The Open Door," again with Costagliola singing lead, is less interesting, a typical light rock tune. "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine" is the runaway hit and the EP's best track by far. Its expression of faith is so optimistic it almost sounds like a parody, but once you hear the tune it's impossible to get it out of your head. It could be a kid's song it's so simple, but its driving beat and sharp instrumental track have a timeless feel. Why it wasn't a major hit the first time around is impossible to say; it's so bright and bouncy it's guaranteed to keep you hitting the replay button. There were 17 singers and musicians in Sonseed during its short history. Today one plays guitar in an oldies band, one is a priest, Polichetti still performs in musical theater, and Costagliola made two gospel albums before landing a job as a professor at the University of Washington. ~ j. poet
Tracks:
1 - Sonseed
2 - Jesus Is a Friend of Mine
3 - Another Kind of Love Song
4 - Opened Door
5 - Oh Happy Day
2 - Jesus Is a Friend of Mine
3 - Another Kind of Love Song
4 - Opened Door
5 - Oh Happy Day