Customer Reviews

In Another Land (The Trilogy, Part 3)

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"In Another Land" is honest, raw and humble. Larry Norman, with this album, showed he was a force to be reckoned with in Christian music.

1972's "Only Visiting the Planet" had already taken root and shook the hallowed doors of CCM. "In Another Land" took it farther, producing the seminal inspiration of musicians who happened to be Christian for over 30 years. Now, as his songs are remade by everyone from DC Talk to Grammatrain to Steve Camp, it is worth looking at the originals. They survive well as rock-folk songs.

The difference was that these were not songs meant to be played at evangelical colleges, but to be heard outside the church. Many Christians in the early 1970s found Norman to be a welcome voice to syrupy lyrics, while others dismissed Norman as a rebel chasing fame, but doing so in the name of God.

He responds here with "Shot Down."

"They say I'm sinful, backslidden,
That I have left to follow fame.
But here I am, talkin' 'bout Jesus just the same."

Songs like "I Am A Servant" belie the commercialism of today's CCM music scene. Norman himself was not glossy, and, in fact, often appeared as if he lived closer to a homeless shelter than Hollywood or Nashville.

A signature song of Norman's, "U.F.O." ("He's an unidentified flying object") talks about Jesus Christ coming soon, surprising people who were spending more time looking for men from Mars.

As rock music replaced the easier sounds of Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby on the airwaves, Norman sang "The Rock That Doesn't Roll," a blues-inspired song about focusing on a more spiritual rock.

The complete songlist:
* Tuning (a brief mix of Larry and the band tuning their instruments)
* The Rock That Doesn't Roll
* Top 40 Survey / Radio Airplay (blending into UFO, Larry works through the AM radio, hearing clips of news and music of the era)
* U.F.O.
* I've Searched All Around The World
* Shot Down
* Song For A Small Circle Of Friends (he appeals to friends Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton and others to consider Christ)
* The Sun Began To Rain
* Looking For The Footprints
* Six Sixty Six
* Righteous Rocker #3
* If God Is My Father
* Why Don't You Look Into Jesus
* Diamond
* One Way
* I Am A Servant
* Hymn To The Last Generation
* Strong Love, Strange Peace (bonus, not on original LP release)
* I Love You (bonus, not on original LP release)

I fully recommend Larry Norman's masterpiece, "In Another Land."

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

My brother-in-law introduced me to Larry Norman and this recording.

While Upon This Rock was his defining masterpiece, In Another Land was the influential LP for me as a teen and was very influential in my Christian pilgrimage.

I've Searched All Around and The Rock That Doesn't Roll are my favorites. And, I really like The Sun Began to Rain with the late-Dudley Moore. I like every song still.

While it is very 70s, it is timeless in its manner.

Larry could really swim in those days. God Bless Larry Norman!

He passed away on February 24, 2008.

TRACKS:
# 1. The Rock That Doesn't Roll
# 2. I Love You
# 3. U.F.O.
# 4. I've Searched All Around
# 5. Righteous Rocker #3
# 6. Deja Vu: (If God Is -- Look Into Jesus)
# 7. I Am A Servant
# 8. The Sun Began To Rain
# 9. Shot Down
# 10. Six Sixty Six
# 11. Diamonds
# 12. One Way
# 13. Song For A Small Circle Of Friends
# 14. Hymn To The Last Generation
# 15. Looking For The Footprints
# 16. Strong Love, Strange Peace
# 17. Dreams On A Grey Afternoon
# 18. Let That Tape Keep Rolling (Live From Greenbelt)

Barring Only Visiting This Planet I think this Larry Norman album is the next essential to own.
There are many different versions, mine is the 19 track including 2 Missing Pieces.
They are the very brief self explantory Tuning and the very interesting and engaging Top 40 Survey/Radio Airplay in which Larry mixes clips from the top artists from the 1960s with news events which shook the US in particular and much of the world in general.
Fantastic tracks include the driving The Rock That Dosen't Roll, haunting U.F.O., the assertive Shot Down, the classic One Way and the humbling I Am A Servant.
Dudley Moore plays piano on The Sun Began To Rain, one of the 2 bonus tracks, I Love You, is not the People song from 1968, in fact it is a sincere love song to God.
Larry may never have hit such heights again despite a considerable output, not to mention repackaging some songs many times!

I had this album many years ago and was not disappointed in becoming reacquainted once again with the powerful words and music.