Description

Sower is the fourth and final studio album by the American rock group All Saved Freak Band, independently released on War Again in 1980.

A superbly strong finish for the Freaks. Sower is in many ways their most mature and fully realized work, one that reveals more of a progressive classic rock attitude than their prior LPs. Opens with a grade-A psychedelic rocker «Red Sea Rising», heavily infused with burning organ and wild stereo-echoed fuzz guitar. Organ is richly represented on several other cuts as well, including the dreamy ballad «Inner Light», the soulful rock of «Peace Like A River» and the dynamic title track (brilliantly arranged with cello). The gang also skips around from Eric Clapton-styled rock («Beautiful Morning») to bluesy hard rock («All Across The Nation») to Dylan-esque folk-rock («Children Of The Day»). The center piece of the album, however, would have to be the apocalyptic «Prince Of The International Kaleidoscope», a powerful haunting minor-key acoustic-rock piece that includes cryptic references to Jesuits, the Pope, the John Birch Society and “black Madonna of the night” (the track also features what is perhaps the most convicting vocal performance on record by the Massmann sisters). Concludes with an intense gospel rendition of «Old Rugged Cross», the singer’s soulful vocals backed solely by piano. Extensive end-times commentary on the back cover and sleeve, including among other things a rather bizarre prophecy they received to breed two specific horses, the resulting foal (named War Again) being a prophetic sign of the war coming to America. Re-issued along with Brainwashed on a single CD in 2000 by Hidden Vision. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th Edition]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-sower/1409198087)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Red Sea Rising” – 5:46
A2. “Inner Light” – 3:16
A3. “Peace Like A River” – 3:27
A4. “Beautiful Morning” – 3:17

Side Two
B1. “Sower” – 3:34
B2. “Prince Of The International Kaleidoscope” – 5:35
B3. “All Across The Nation” – 3:55
B4. “Children Of The Day” – 2:41
B5. “Old Rugged Cross” – 3:46

Note: Re-issued on CD by Hidden Vision Records in 2007.