LW's "Light of the World"!

LW's "Light of the World"!

Light of the World Studio Mix from "Overflow"

"Light of the World" on Spotify

We have some really amazing news! We have a brand new version of one of our truly classic 'bangers' from way back in the day: "Light of the World"! It is mixed by our own beloved Josh Loell, with all of the original band members playing what they always used to play in concert. There is Dave's familiar high noodling bass part in the intro, Tony's signature style on drums, Greg & Mark rounding out the Guitar brothers, Mike on piano, Denise lending her awesome voice to the proceedings. 

Let's talk about how we got to the point where I wrote this song.

Way back, when Living Waters first started in 1976, we did a couple of my early meditation songs in our first shows, but most of our group concert material consisted in cover songs. BUT, quite early on, we began to consciously write our own group-style songs.

"Sing to Jesus" was probably the first; Dave got that one started with the intro riff. I remember all of us playing it while staying at Chuck's house in Waterville, ME. (That one is the intro to the new album!) Four LW types joined in to create "The Introduction Song" which did exactly what it said in the title, introducing us as the concert began. (Some of us were just talking about that one recently at my son's wedding.) It included a choreographed dance by the newly joined dance troupe. We have no surviving recordings of that one.

A "Sheepgate Coffehouse" Reunion Concert where we revived "Light of the World"

However, probably our first really big one was "Light of the World". There's so many things we could say about this one. I believe all the crew would line up in front of the stage and sway and clap. The clap on the chorus was a special one: 'clap, clap...clap...clap, clap...clap'. (Anne-Marie just called it "that cool clapping"; yeah, it was cool, all right!) ALL the back-up singers were very active on singing this one, an example of working on vocal arrangement that became a hallmark for us. We have a couple of old 'classic live' versions of "L of the W" on our sites, one from 1987.

The tableau for 'evil thoughts' in the Light of the World skit; Mark, Mary Gillis & Mike

Another thing was that this song was usually strategically joined in the program to our early dramatic skit of the same name, "Light of the World". This skit illustrated how vices can be overcome by the power of what our Lord did for us on the Cross. The skit flowed & matched with the song perfectly. (Greg used to pray an acoustic lick in the background during a part of the action, based on "The Trees" by Rush. It fit perfectly.)
As a matter of fact, our shows began to become very well thought out in general, thematically and sonically, with lights, dance, drama and a large sound system. Our standard line became 'we started as a bunch of kids fooling around with our instruments and became a full production of music, dance & drama', & that really wasn't exaggerating. We moved on to the whole "Prodigal Daughter" format after this in support of Covenant House where we actually told a coherent story.

Soon after this song, Mike had a big breakthrough with the epic rocker, "Searching" and the amazing "Lonely Dancer", and I did "Nobody Else" and "Let's Stay," and so on and so on, but the way for those was prepared by these earliest group concert songs.

In this recording you hear & feel very much what it felt & sounded like back in those glorious early days. It felt like a new album was brewing with these songs, and, miraculously, providentially, that has happened! The new album features a deep dive into these earliest roots, plus some totally new creations. Those days were a great gift of grace to all involved, and this song was a part of that. And that grace continues to overflow one hundred-fold, to this time and unto eternal life....
Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE!

Light of the World Studio Mix from "Overflow"

"Overflow" is Released...Merry Christmas!

"Overflow" is Released...Merry Christmas!

 

"Overflow" by Living Waters on Bandcamp! Click to listen....

It has happened! The work is complete. If you've heard parts of this album already, you still have no idea. There has been a lot of work done, just in the last week or so, on virtually every song.  It is now finished. This album has become something greater than its parts. Please! Listen to this! As of today, Christmas Day, it is available on our Bandcamp site and is streaming on ReverbNation.

There were big contributions by Mike McBride, Greg Loell and Mark Lajoie, and especially the talented producer, Joshua Loell (Best Film Score Winner!). Most exciting is that Dave Bourque, Tony & Denise Vassel all did their part also, especially on "Light of the World" and "Hail Mary". This album features lots of joint vocals and a large dose of a rockin' Greg Loell.

We are aiming to release the digital distribution (iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, etc.) on January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany. That fits perfectly with the theme of the album: 'He can brighten up your darkest night...', the Light of the World, Sonrise. 

Please, share in our joy, listen, download, and share the goodness! Be on the lookout for the streaming releases coming soon.

Peace & Love & JOY,
Mark LaJOIE!

"Overflow" by Living Waters on Bandcamp!Click to listen....

One Day More!

One Day More! Overflow!

"Overflow" by Living Waters on Bandcamp! Click to order....

The Lajoies had a little private listening party last night. Wow! We are absolutely floored. This album is an absolute work of art. As we talked we said some of the following.

We said that anyone unfamiliar with Living Waters as a family will be suitably impressed with the genius production, for sure. But if you are a real Living Waters person you will rejoice in the deep roots in our past on this thing. There are many familiar songs and that core blend of songwriting styles and personalities, and featuring Mike, Mark, Greg, Dave, Denise & Tony at various points. And, then, there is a new 'flow' by Josh, someone steeped in reverence for who the Living Waters family is, and yet bringing a new genius to it all.

Further, we said there really is a wonderfully coherent theme to the whole thing that is so cool, something you hardly see anymore in albums. The key idea is taken from "City of Joy". It's a song that isn't on the album, but has been on every one of our full-length albums to this point. The idea is that there IS a Place that we can go with our deep needs as individuals and as a faith family, and that Place is the Person of Christ Himself, especially in the Bread and the Cup. We see this mentioned in "Sing to Jesus", "When Sunday Comes", "Covenant Love", "Let It Reign". In our pain and misery, there is one who understands, whose Heart is pouring out Grace to help us change. The image that jumps out is that of Light or Fire that shines from the Rain of Grace. "...He can brighten up your darkest night...", "The dark-ness is gone and now I see the light", the aftermath of the storm, the Light of the World, Sonrise, etc. That's why finding the album picture we did with the flowing Waters and the Light was so awesome.

Sometime this evening we will press the release button on Bandcamp, and you will all be able to hear for yourself!

"Overflow" by Living Waters on Bandcamp! Click to order.

Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE!

"Overflow" Album Artwork & Future Plans

"Overflow" Album Artwork & Future Plans

"Send forth your LIGHT and your truth: they have led me, and brought me unto your holy MOUNTAIN, and into your tabernacles. And I will go in to the altar of God: to God who gives JOY to my youth." To you, O God, my God, I will give praise upon the harp...." Psalm 43:3-4 (These words traditionally have been part of the "Introibo ad altare Dei" Psalm at the beginning of Eucharist. They echo this album theme!) 

Here is our brand new "Overflow" album cover and song list image. For the first time we actually paid to license the pictures so they could be undeniably ours. We fell in love with the bursting sun rising with the Living Waters flowing down from its saving source, the Cross of Our Lord; it fits perfectly with the theme, from "He can brighten up your darkest night" to the climax of our album in "LIGHT of the World" & "SUNrise".

The other image is a propos with the Waters bubbling out from the Cross. And, yes, this song list is a big 'reveal', isn't it? We have removed "Honey" from the album and will instead release it as a single - look for that.  We did that because we have added a new, secret tune, "Nothing But Love" that fits the flow of this album perfectly in a thematic sense. You'll have to wait for the release for that! It's a jazz-touched ode to the Lord's love in His Passion that flows from Covenant Love so well. We also put our old live song, "I Will Go" in as a bonus track, now. Several of the tunes have and are undergoing re-mixing and last-minute tweaking. As far as we can tell, the album will really be released on Bandcamp on Christmas Day. As far as Spotify, iTunes and other digital distribution that may be released a little later.

We are talking about using this 'Water Cross' picture for a proposed "Living Waters Songbook" with chords, lyrics and tabs. Great idea, huh? We are now also talking about creating a studio Christmas album, like "Overflow", for next Christmas. Another topic is renewing and refurbishing some of our previous releases, cleaning them up to a higher quality. There are so many possibilities. Greg and I are feeling some old age creeping into our hands, so we want to get down as much as we can as soon as we can. Please, pray that 'le Bon Dieu' can continue to inspire and direct us in the way He wills for His Kingdom.

Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE! of Living Waters

"Let It Reign"!

"Let It Reign"!

Let It Reign (Studio Version) CLICK to listen!

{As of this date, Josh is still working on final last touches to the vocals, but we are posting the song is as, for now, so you can hear it!} - December 2, 2018

When Mike & I got together to sing our parts for "Let It Reign", there was a real energy in the room. Mike had done a really cool demo for us to work with. For the first time on a recording that I can remember, we were doing a shared lead vocal - and it was awesome to do! Josh had us singing live together in the same room, bouncing our parts back and forth. It was so fun, and so real. We are probably going to re-do some of the vocals, but, I think this helped drive our other vocal performances, and actually set us up for a fantastic total session that day.

Another really cool thing, Joshua Loell, Greg's son, and our producer on this album, decided to turn this song into a totally cinematic-style production. (Well, he kind of knows a thing or two about cinematic-style production, doesn't he? He has won an award for best film score at the San Diego International Film Festival. He is sure to win more in the future.) This is a song that lends itself very well to that style. We didn't know when we started this project that we were being produced by such a talented young man.

The theme of the song? makes it a perfect one for this album. No matter what storms or hurricanes in our lives, we can find all the grace we need 'when Sunday comes' in the Cup and the Bread; we can be the Light of the World. And, as Mike said, you can't get more of a "Living Waters" song than this, can you, with all those references? It makes me think of the deer altar picture we use, based on Psalm 42. Just in time for Christmas! SO! Without further ado...let it reign....

Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE!

Let It Reign (Studio Version) CLICK to listen!

Living Waters Featured on RN Chart Topping Artists From Boston!

Living Waters Featured on RN Chart Topping Artists From Boston!

Yes! Our song, "Honey" is being featured on this play list.  

Just CLICK on the PIC to see and hear:

Hail Mary!

Hail Mary!

Hail Mary studio version CLICK to listen!

Mike came out with a beautiful demo of the Hail Mary this past year, and I knew it had to go on this album we have been working on, as a group song. But, Josh had an idea. He wanted to use all the LW singers to create a more orchestral, angelic version that would have the group's imprint on it. To be honest, I think we were baffled as to what exactly he meant by this, but we dutifully showed up and laid down our vocals. As we listened back, frankly? we were all a little disappointed. It didn't seem quite up to what we would expect, like we just hadn't 'got' it, so we just put it on the shelf for awhile. Well! Guess what? Josh's vision was not only right, I would say it was divinely inspired. Just listen to what he was able to do with this. Just listen to it. It is amazing without a doubt, beautiful beyond words. I've heard a lot of "Ave Maria"s but this? I think is the best. Mike carries the melody, of course, but I'm in there blending on the bottom and Dave & Denise are shining at the top of the mix. It's the sort of creation that makes me glad I am alive to experience it.

Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE!

Hail Mary studio version CLICK to listen!

I Will Go! Restored!

I Will Go! Restored!

I Will Go (one take live) CLICK to listen!

Well, it has happened! We are going to have a classic live cut on our new album (probably as a bonus track)! This is sort of a rule we have around here; we want to put at least one old classic live LW song on every album. We put "Home Is Where the Heart Is" on our last album, "Still Flowing".

We were going to try and restore "Roll the Rock Over", but that will take more work than we have time for right now. We had posted our one take live version of "I Will Go" on ReverbNation before, but now, we have taken this jewel out, dusted it off, polished it and put it out here to be heard. Josh removed the tape hiss, re-balanced the right and left ear so we can hear Denise better, and corrected the volume, and? voila! It is ready to go. It is invaluable for hearing what we sounded like in concert back in the late 80's early 90's.

If you want to 'read all about it', as Anna Post would say, go to this previous post about this song and "Let's Stay" from our "Sons" recording sessions:

"One Take Live"

I Will Go (one take live) CLICK to listen!

Pre-Order Our New "Overflow" Album!

Pre-Order Our New "Overflow" Album!

Just go to the Bandcamp player on this blog page and press "pre-order" and you will get a download of "Sing to Jesus". We are reducing the price to $5, but you can contribute more if you wish. (The download will be zipped.)

We are shooting for a Christmas release. There are a few songs still waiting for their final mix, but we are confident it will be ready Christmas Day or during Christmas season. When we release it, it will be sent to you by email link. Here is the tentative line-up:

Sing to Jesus

Let It Reign

Covenant Love

Honey [to be replaced by a secret song!]

Anna Post Writing

When Sunday Comes

When He Came Into My Life

Hail Mary

I Will Go (live) [probably will now be a bonus track]

Sunrise

Light of the World

{UPDATE:  December 13, 2018

Honey is now going to be a stand-alone single.

Sing to Jesus
When Sunday Comes
Covenant Love
Nothing But Love
Anna Post Writing
Hail Mary
When He Came Into My Life
Let It Reign
Light of the World
Sunrise

I Will Go (live) BONUS track}

We are so excited! We love you all and hope you will be blessed!

Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE for Living Waters

"Honey" is Sweet!

"Honey" is Sweet!

"Honey" Click to listen!

"Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains." I Tm 6:9-10

Here is the latest song from Mike McBride singing with Mark Lajoie, a product of those awesome recording sessions this year. Mark & Mike sing their heart out together. It's about somebody who needs some sweet salvation....It is quite tremendous! It's not explicit about our Faith, but it definitely implies the value of holiness. (For the first time there is a mild oath in one of our songs when it says, "you don't give a damn", but, with apologies to Rhett Butler, it seemed necessary.)

Here is what Mike had to say in dedicating this to our beloved Mary Gillis, R.I.P.:

This one started coming to me in 2010, not long after Mary Gillis died. Mary was one few people in my life who would actually listen to me blather on the guitar or piano. She always encouraged me to write and loved anything that I did write. She even used Lonely Dancer as her video project in the early 90s. Her spirit is with me often, and very much in the early years of writing Honey. But over more years this morphed into something more aggressive, not at all about Mary. But, I think she would have pushed me to bring it to where it is, and finish and record it. It's not always easy to produce these songs, but it feels so good when we're done. Special thanks to Mark Lajoie and Joshua Michaelfor singing back up. This one is for you Mary. Honey.

Soooooo! Please enjoy it in good health.

Poem For Change of Seasons

Poem For Change of Seasons

Today is the first day of autumn. That makes me think of a song of ours that never did get recorded or even performed in a show, but one we jammed on quite a bit. Perhaps it is a project for next year. But the words sure seem appropriate for this season AND for these times:

"You Need Love (Don't Throw Your Life Away)"

Standing so cold in your winter life

You can't make rhyme nor reason

Do you think maybe the season for Love is turning?

A yearning, a burning desire

Learning to pray with fire down upon your knees

Caring, Sharing your feelings

Daring and being all you were meant to be

You don't need hypocrisy

You don't need to silence me

You don't need your noise & news & party views surrounding you

You need Love!

You need Love! (Don't throw your life away!) 2x

Hey-ay-ee-ay-ay-ay-ee-yay!

What you call love is not at all

You rise and fall above your slavery

Do you think maybe the season for love is turning....

Some Video of Living Waters Recording!

Some Video of Living Waters Recording!

This summer's recording has included some Mike & Mark singing together on many songs; The results, I think, were fantastic! Our blend seemed just right, and our back and forth on "Let It Reign" was so much fun. Mike has contributed his keyboard skills to several Mark songs, like "Sing to Jesus" which we played together so much back in the day.

We're not really good on putting what we're doing on the record. I think we're just too busy doing the work, in the zone, shall we say. BUT! I managed to video a few snippets of us doing some more work on "Light of the World" which we could share with you. Ready?

Here is our vocal recording spot; we were doing the melody for "LotW" chorus

Mike was warming up to do the intro to "LotW"

Mike had to fix the tag on Josh's shirt!

Click the line below to see: 

Video of Mike practicing the end of "LotW". 

At the end, Josh is circling his finger, telling Mike to keep going, because he has the section on a loop. Josh can then take or blend the best sections from the looped tracks.

Well! I hoped you enjoyed this small glimpse inside the process. Sausage being made....

Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE! of Living Waters

New Studio Production: "Sing to Jesus"!

New Studio Production:"Sing to Jesus"!

"Sing to Jesus" Studio Production 

CLICK the line above to listen!

Josh at work mixing today, August 14

Behold! Here is another Living Waters production from our efforts this summer at the Loell recording studio: "Sing to Jesus". I am absolutely floored by the results; just LISTEN to this thing, will you? It is amazing!

Mike laying down a track today for Light of the World

Our Singing Spot in the Loell Studio

We must have performed this hundreds of times in our earliest days, and I believe it is our first original full group song. I (Mark) resurrected it with a demo done on GarageBand, & work commenced on it in earnest these past couple of weeks. I did the lead vocal last week, mostly in one take; I guess we should kind of know this one by now, right? Mike said Josh was giving furious thumbs up during the entire take; it sure felt right. By the way, singing with Mike just seemed to give us both tremendous energy to our efforts. (Dave & Denise also sang on "Light of the World" [wait till you hear that!], and Denise is on "When Sunday Comes" as well.)

Mark playing a part for Anna Post Writing today

One amazing thing about this is Greg's work on lead guitar. We had finished vocals and he just showed up in the cellar after work, sat down on a chair and dropped down this thunder on us. We were all just sitting there with our mouth open. That lead at the end? He just sat down and poured it out, one take, like we did in concert so many times. It is Clapton-like and preaches the exultant mood of the song better than words. It was a key missing element from the demo and makes our final product feel more complete. [This reminds me of the time we were recording "Fight For Me" and I was having trouble with my 12-string acoustic part during the bridge for some reason. Well! Greg grabbed my 12-string, jumped up on a folding table, told them to roll tape and just ripped off what you hear now. How does he do it? Amazing.]

You may notice I changed the words that I sing to that rejoicing final section. (Josh had this idea, that I change those words based on the flow of the album.) Some of what I sing here is based on the "overflow" words of our song, "City of Joy", with some alterations. Here is what I sang:

Alleluia!

You are the Place to go

Where joy will overflow

There is a Place for us to go

Our faith will lead us where

Our God will really care

One Cup and Bread to share!

One Cup and Bread to share!
----where Joy will overflow....

At one point, Tony played drums on "Light of the World"; wait for that!

This thematically ties the bow on our "Overflow" album as a whole. Jesus IS the place for us poor sinners to go where joy will overflow, especially in His Person, in the Bread & Cup that unite us as One Body.

That's Mark playing 12-string, Mike on keyboards, Greg on electric and Mike and I doing the gang-clapping and vocals. One step closer to a real, full studio album...SOON!

Now that is something to sing about! Hope you enjoy this. We sure do!

"Sing to Jesus" Studio Production 

CLICK the line above to listen!

Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE!

Mark & Mike Singing Together!

Mark & Mike Singing Together!

 

Vocal recording is happening this week! Mark & Mike singing together! We are working on tracks for a prospective album that is partly retrospective.

We paired up on Mike's "Let It Reign" (so appropriate for a Living WATERS song!). Our work includes some older band songs, like "Light of the World" & "Sing to Jesus" There is a playlist with some of these songs below. We've been working on some of this since last year, but NOW we're hitting our stride, I think! 

(P.S. These are OBviously OLD pictures of Mark & Mike!! 70's Mark, 90's Mike....)

https://www.reverbnation.com/livingwatershttps://www.reverbnation.com/artist/866715/playlist/3681097

We also had a fan write us on Twitter, and ask us to sing Happy Birthday to her, although it's a few months off from now. We don't often get together, BUT, Mike & I were there with Josh recording, SO we decided to do it for her before we began laying down tracks. Her name is Shelby & here is what we sent her!

Peace & Love & JOY!
Mark LaJOIE!

Reaction to "Sunrise"!

Reaction to "SUNRISE"!

We just posted our newest production "Sunrise" to Music Xray, which is a way for professionals and artists to make contact.Well! Sunrise has dawned very brightly here!

First of all every single fan who heard it liked 20 out of 20 or 100%. I think that is pretty rare. Plus, the 5 pros who rated it gave it a higher rating than 75% of songs offered on the platform. They liked it! Do you like it?

CLICK! SUNRISE on ReverbNation

A New "Sunrise" and More

A New "Sunrise"...and More!

Things are starting to really heat up in music production land. Mike's song "Sunrise" has just been re-mixed from the GarageBand demo, and...it is absolutely gorgeous! Mike says he actually wrote this one way back in those days when we were young. Now we in the band are all closer to that final sunrise, the one that will last and last and last...when we will meet Our Risen Savior, Deo volentes. This song sounds like a movie score; come to think of it, Josh has done those, hasn't he! Yes he actually has done that for pay! CLICK!

Sunrise!

Danny Gagnon

Dave Bourque, Mike & John

Thematically, it matches well the other song that Josh has now re-mixed, "When He Came Into My Life". This was written by Danny Gagnon and Dave Bourque back in the late 70's. I (Mark Lajoie) re-imagined it with a Dave-type bass line and recently worked it up on GarageBand. This also has been re-mixed to great advantage.

Here are the lyrics, all about a personal Pentecost and the desire to give everything. The spiritual life actually is a constant battle with vice, evil and anything that gets in the way of loving God and our neighbor with all that we are.

“When He Came Into My Life”

by Daniel Gagnon & Dave Bourque, adapted by Mark Lajoie

copyright 2010

When He came in-to my life He set my heart on fi-re

Loos-ened the bonds and set me free with His love

Yes, He came in-to my life with tongues of burn-ing fi-re

Lord Je-sus, my sa-vior I know that I'm read-y to give

He asked me if I was will-ing to give com-plete-ly

For the road is hard and filled with mi-se-ry

"Don't wor-ry, my son, for I will al-ways be with you"

Lord Je-sus, my sa-vior I know that I'm read-y to give

The dark-ness is gone and now I see the light

The blind-ness in my eyes is read-y for sight

With fi-re inside my heart I know I can fight

Lord Je-sus, my sa-vior I know that I'm read-y to give

Well, He can come in-to your life and set your heart on fi-re

Loos-en the bonds and set you free with His love

Well, He can come into your life if that's what you de-si-re

Lord Je-sus, my sa-vior I know that I'm read-y to give

Lord Je-sus, my sa-vior I know that I'm read-y to give

Lord Je-sus, my sa-vior I know that I'm read-y to give

CLICK this!

When He Came Into My Life

There is MUCH MORE in the works this summer, so be ready for more information. I'm so sorry to keep writing like this, but...I can't help it! It's so exciting! 

Rejoice with us, friends....

Mark LaJOIE!!