Matthew Ward - Toward Eternity

In May of 1981 I was given a pile of Christian records ... okay maybe not a pile, but it felt like a lot. I don't remember all of the titles but I do remember How the West was One by 2nd Chapter of Acts. This was my introduction to Phil Keaggy and his playing melted my brain. One of the vocalists in the band was a skinny young kid who sounded like a boy when he spoke and had a huge voice. It seemed inevitable that he'd release a solo album at some point.

That point came in 1979 when Toward Eternity was released, according to Mr. Ward's website he was 18 when he recorded the album, which is sort of mind boggling. I probably got it in 1982 when I was 19, and the most ambitious song I'd written to that point was "49 Rats Eating Beer-sausage." I remember reading the credits as I listened to the songs, and was really excited to see Phil's name listed on most of the tracks. The album opens with a one two punch that still makes me grin like an idiot. This is different than my normal idiot face.

I'll give you the coles notes version of how I viewed that album back in the day: Two good songs, and then a lot of stuff I didn't really care for ... and there was a disco song. Disco sucks. The End.

... and now for the 62 year old me revisionist version of the album. An album I'd not thought about for decades.

Those first two songs are musical  bangers, "It's Alright" features some truly killer guitar work by Phil Keaggy. "Soft Spot" has a great string arrangement, but it's the middle musical breakdown that still stops me in my tracks. Genius. Pure genius. After this the album settles into less familiar territory as I don't have much muscle memory beyond the opening tracks and by default the first side. Lyrically some of the songs, particularly "It's Alright" were very early '70s Hal Lindsey The Late Great Planet Earth inspired by the Book of Revelations stuff that were end of days heavy. I'm not going to get too far into the lyrics. Much of the subject matter still resonates with me, but there are times the evangelical elements are too much for me now. There's more I'd say, but I don't have the ability to properly support my emotional responses with any sort of coherent salient points. Suffice to say that the songs are delivered with absolute conviction. I'm more motivated by the music, and the lyrics matter but it's how they're delivered that makes it work or not. Matthew Ward is a killer vocalist - pure and simple. The depth and range he displays here as well as the control he exhibits is  nothing short of masterful. You get it or you don't but there's a vulnerability and honesty in the songs that at the very least earns respect.

Matthew may not have written the songs but he did co-write a couple and he wrote his vocal arrangements which oddly enough could have translated into songwriting credits. There is precedent, considering that eventually Richard Wright had to give credit to Clare Torry for her vocal arrangement on The Great Gig in the Sky" from Dark Side of the Moon.

Toward Eternity was produced and engineered by the late Buck Herring and the band backing Matthew throughout the record are so good. David Kemper played drums and the guy had played with everyone from Dutch prog monsters Focus, to Bob Dylan and Jerry Garcia. Abraham Laboriel and Scotty Edwards (R.I.P.) handled bass, and both are incredible at handling the bottom end. Keyboards were provided mostly by Michael Keene (who also did the string arrangements), with Keith Green playing on "Summer Snow" a song he'd also written. Michael Omartian appeared on several tracks, playing synthesizer, keyboards and on one song is credited as killer bees (when you hear it, it makes sense). Getting to guitars, the album is a showcase for Phil Keaggy. His contributions are central to many of the songs, and his identifiable flourishes and arrangements are all over the album. One on song Jay Graydon and Ray Parker Jr. join him on "Your Love Came Over Me" written by Keith Green and Todd Fishkind two of the guys responsible for "Your Love Broke Through." 

I still think those two opening tracks are my favourites, but as I sat and listened to the album I had a greater appreciation for the songs than I did back in the day. The second side, the side I hardly listened to, contained two wonderful tracks that close out the record: "Summer Snow" and "The Vineyard" that are both solo piano pieces that highlight Matthews vocals. "The Vineyard" is essentially a vocal piece with no lyrics just a vocal chorus weaving textures. Without the liner notes to accompany the song all you have is the music which by itself is beautiful. However when paired with the verses from Mark 12:1-11 the somber nature of the music and the tension built up by the vocal layers it becomes something more.

These last two songs in particular were a little revelation (couldn't help myself) and gave me a new appreciation for the entire record. I know that Matthew Ward put out more solo records, but I never had the desire to get them. I had this one and it was enough ... it's still enough.