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!