Kings Messengers Quartet – Birth of Our King (BMC 559) (1983)

A THRIFTY VINYL HOLIDAY TREAT STRAIGHT TO GOD’S HEAD

NOW (week of 21/5/2012) for SALE on eBAY!

There are no outward designs suggesting that this is a Christmas record, but the title makes it explicit: Long-running South African gospel quartet Kings Messengers’ The Birth of Our King album celebrates the holy Exit of our Saviour, Jesus H. Christ, from His Mother, Mary Christ’s glorious birth canal, which official, irrefutable records indicate occurred on Christmas Day 25th December 0000.

I was kinda hoping for a more African take on the Xmas story, but this is an orthodox (both ecumenically and rhythmically), middle-of-the-road, mostly a capella gospel Lp, whose repertoire wouldn’t be out-of-place in the most conservative C of E village parish, even if four tracks are sung in, I’m guessing, Zulu. More information can be gleaned from the excellent Electric Jive blogspot.

I had to step over several rutting, MDMA-crazed teenagers to get to this when I purchased in from a chaz this summer in Newquay. The lady gave me a funny look when I brought my selection to the counter as if it was the last thing she expected me to buy and why didn’t I get that nice OMD record instead.

To paraphrase The Onion, sometimes labels help save time.

Missa Luba – Les Troubadours du Roi Baudouin (Phillips)

This is an odd record that somehow sounds exactly like you expect it too.  Backed by plangent congas and shaker accompaniment, full of improvised call and response, all in the tradition of Africa and her diaspora and devoid of any European feel otherwise, Missa Luba‘s Catholic message may be it’s strangest feature.  Pangs of post-Colonial guilt further muddy the waters regarding my feelings for this deep music.

I paid Oxfam £1.99 for Missa Luba (high for me, low for them), having been first attracted by its resemblance to the UK pressing of Jazzman’s fabulous Spiritual Jazz double Lp.