Description

Long Way from Paradise is the fourth album by the American pop/rock band Allies, released on Dayspring Records in ‎1989, a division of Word. The album was recorded at Allies Recording Studio in Franklin, Tennessee; with band members Bob Carlisle and Randy Thomas producing.

With last year’s ‘Should to Shoulder‘, Allies put themselves back on the Christian pop/rock map after their two light releases failed to generate a strong identity or following. ‘Long Way From Paradise’ finds Randy Thomas and Bob Carlisle stirring up their sure-fire pop hooks with some bluesy, rock ‘n’ roll stew and the overall effect is a more-energetic and all around fun album than the Allies have previously delivered. Take «Christian Man»; the joyously raucus play on Muddy Water’s «Boyish Man» right down to the guitar riff and a reversal on the “son of a gun” lyric. Carlisle, Thomas and company have never sounded less pretentious or more at home.

The core of ‘Long Way From Paradise’, as with ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’, are pop staples like «Trust In God», «All Day All Night», with its Journey-like segue and Neal Schon guitar squeel over Carlisle’s talking verses second sing-along chorus, and the airplay ballad «Take Me Back». Lyrically, Thomas and Carlisle address the impact of Creation’s brokenness on every aspect of life. In the opening rocking throw back to Led Zep and Rez, which is too reminiscent of D&K’s «Out of the Danger Zone», they bemoan ecological and political maleficence before seeking resolution in personal salvation. In «Old Man Down» and «Devil Is A Liar» they deal with temptation in a humorous but direct fashion, with the latter deflating the so-called cool images of the likes of James Dean and Marilyn Monroe.

Although ‘Long Way From Paradise’ uses perhaps too many divergent styles, the consistantly strong performances and fine production values added to the sense that the Allies are playing music from their past that they truly enjoy holds it all together. Thomas’ expert songsmanship and Calisle’s voice are, and always have been, serious contenders. Nowhere is that more clear than on the remake of «Crying In the Chapel», the Elvis Presley hit from the ’60s. Unpretentious, tasty and just plain fun, ‘Long Way From Paradise’ is the album to put Allies on top. [Brian Quincy Newcomb, CCM, March 1989]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/long-way-from-paradise/1165904450)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Long Way From Paradise” – 2:29
A2. “Trust In God” – 4:35
A3. “All Day, All Night” – 3:45
A4. “Take Me Back” – 4:39
A5. “Old Man Down” – 2:55
A6. “Christian Man” – 4:16

Side Two
B1. “Devil Is A Liar” – 4:36
B2. “I Wanna Be Like You” – 4:11
B3. “Walk With Me Silent” – 5:05
B4. “Rock Of Salavation” – 4:50
B5. “Crying In The Chapel” – 3:51

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Dayspring Records.

“Crying In The Chapel” (MUSIC VIDEO)