Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!

JFH Music Review



Larry Norman
Snowblind



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 12 tracks: 56 minutes, 0 seconds
Street Date: 2004


READER RATING:   


In 1969, while signed to Capitol Records, Larry Norman released Upon This Rock. It has been considered by some to be the first Christian Rock album. The album was a commercial flop, but it helped to launch a long and often controversial career with some highlights that include: releasing dozens of albums, playing for then-President Jimmy Carter and having numerous artists cover his songs (Dc Talk, Holy Soldier, Audio Adrenaline, Jordin Sparks, Etc.). Nearly nine years after his death, Larry Norman remains a polarizing and controversial pioneer of Christian music. With an often critical tone of the western Church, a concern for the environment and often being at odds with the Christian music industry, it's not hard to see why.

Snowblind is a live album visiting many of his more notable songs and is split into two parts. The first half is Norman on guitar and the second on piano. From the beginning, Norman jumps into the gritty "Why Don't You Look Into Jesus," a song first appearing on the album Only Visiting This Planet. With only having vocals and guitar (No backing band here), anyone would hope for a more clear recording. It's not by any means terrible, but a less than perfect sound does detract from the music as a whole. "I Hope I'll See You In Heaven" is a gentle song highlighting both Norman's guitar playing and vocals against a melancholy melody, while "Messiah" and "Six Sixty Six" are back-to-back songs dealing with the end times -- something many of the Jesus music pioneers sang about very often. It's somewhat difficult to compare the sound of the music to other artists, but at times it has similarity in style to John Lennon. "Playing Checkers" is a track of Norman talking/preaching on the fears of a nuclear holocaust and the first half of the concert is rounded out with "Moses." The audience is laughing hard during this comical retelling of the Exodus from Egypt.

The remaining half of the album finds Norman on piano for a series of more intimate songs. Anyone could likely guess by the title that "One Way" is a song about Jesus being the only way into heaven. "If The Bombs Fall" deals with hopes and dreams in this life perhaps not being fulfilled in the event of nuclear war. In my opinion, "Bombs" is the only golden nugget to be found on this piano-driven half, a beautiful song highlighting Norman's ridiculously high falsetto. The rest of the album becomes muddled. While Norman can sing and play guitar beautifully, strong block chords pounded down make up most of this piano set. "Strong Love, Strange Peace" is a prayer for the audience from Norman's perspective as a Christian singer. Finally, for the end of this sometimes dragging slower half of the concert comes "And We Sing The Tune" followed by the excessively long (Over 9 Minutes!) "The Tune" and "I Am A Servant."

So my takeaway is that Snowblind has a lot of humor and deals with thematic issues, which all work in its favor. But it also has a less than clean recording and I wouldn't recommend it to a first time listener of Norman's music. In my opinion, there are other albums that give the listener a better feel for his music and the sound of Jesus music as a whole. Is it worth a listen? I say yes. Will you fall in love? Probably not.

JFH Reader Review: Review date: 1/21/17, written by Paul C Nave for Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!

 

. Record Label: Solid Rock Records
. Album length: 12 tracks: 56 minutes, 0 seconds
. Street Date: 2004
. Buy It: Amazon.com


  1. Why Don't You Look Into Jesus
  2. I Hope I'll See You In Heaven
  3. Messiah
  4. Six Sixty Six
  5. Playing Checkers
  6. Moses
  7. One Way
  8. If The Bombs Fall
  9. Strong Love, Strange Peace
  10. And We Sing The Tune
  11. The Tune
  12. I Am A Servant

 



Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 14!

Search JFH



This Wednesday, October 22, 2025
SINGLES
Phil Wickham Fear Has No Power - Single [Fair Trade]

This Friday, October 24, 2025
ALBUMS
John Allan Resurrection Power - EP [Centricity]
Dan Bremnes The Villain - EP [Curb]
Clear Convictions Endure (2025 Remaster) [Resuscitation]
Fepeste This World Ain't Mine to Change [Velvet Blue]
gio. FINE BY ME [Capitol CMG]
God Behind Bars Music Live From Angola Prison Vol. 1 [Provident]
Hulvey HE WILL RETURN - EP [Reach]
Latter Day Exploits Within Consumed (Expanded Edition) [Charon Collective]
VaShawn Mitchell SOUNDCHECK [Fair Trade]
MORIAH Nice Life - EP [F2]
Tyson Motsenbocker Modern Worries [Tooth & Nail]
Smalltown Poets St. Augustine (independent)
Zahriya Zachary Rediscovery [Bethel]

SINGLES
29:11 Worship, Zion Rempel You Never Fail (feat. Emily Guy) - Single [DREAM]
The Band JAREN Poetic - Single [Hit and Run]
Joe L Barnes Grief, Joy, Gratitude - Single [Provident]
Brandon Lake, Jon Batiste, & Jelly Roll Hard Fought Hallelujah - Single [Provident]
Jonathan Cain No One Else - Single [The Fuel]
Chad Cory, Zacardi Cortez My First Love (Remix) - Single [DREAM]
Leanna Crawford Beginning Of Your Grace - Single [Provident]
darthy Juniper Tree - Single [WieRok]
EJ Swavv & Jericko Love Like This - Single [Syntax]
Emerson Day Midnight Hour - Single [Fair Trade]
Good Weather Forecast lows2highs - Single [DREAM]
goodwill. REST - Single [Syntax]
Grace + Max Rich - Single [WieRok]
Mat Kearney Good Old Days - Single (independent)
Kelo Car Freestyle - Single [Syntax]
Vic Lucas I Need You (ft. IsaiahLaRoi) - Single [Syntax]
Jamie Macdonald You Can't Take My Song - Single [Capitol CMG]
Myles Maestro I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever - Single [Syntax]
Martin Smith, Josh Baldwin I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever - Single [The Fuel]
Mercy Tribe Music The King is in the Room (feat. Ayiesha Woods) - Single (independent)
Mountains in the Sea Breakthrough - Single [DREAM]
Razzie & Glenn Ray Second Chances - Single [Syntax]
Seph Schlueter Already On The Way (feat. Benjamin William Hastings) - Single [Provident]
Tomb Slayer The Christmas Lamb (feat. Khristian Dentley & Sarah Whittemore) - Single [Tomb Slayer]
tonyxtrotter, Yung Drew, Wayne Klassik HOLY HOLY HOLY - Single [Syntax]
The Undertaking! All Smiles - Single (independent)
Unseen Faith Cold Resolve - Single [Rottweiler Records]
Kim Zamolo Your Ways Are Higher - Single (independent)

VINYL
Clear Convictions Endure [Resuscitation]

Next Wednesday, October 29, 2025
ALBUMS
Brandon Lake Amazon Music Songline [Provident]

Next Friday, October 31, 2025
ALBUMS
Hope Deferred Darkness Remains [The Charon Collective]
MORIAH Nice Life - EP [F2]
SEU Worship What A God [Live at JOGS] (feat. Abbie Gamboa) - EP [Provident]
Testimony of Apocalypse Agony in the Garden [Roxx Records]

SINGLES
Dreamers My Heart His Home - Single [DREAM]
Roxanne Grace Try Again - Single [DREAM]
Lock & Chi Do To Me - Single (independent)
John Long Simple Pursuit - Single (independent)
Polished Arrow Music LOTW - Single [Polished Arrow Music]
Poor Old Lu The Hurting - Single (independent)
Still Remains The Wound and the Weapon - Single (independent)
Warren Zeiders How Great Thou Art - Single [Warner]


For all release dates, click here!
 

Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase!
Need proofreading and editing help? We've got you covered! Click here to learn more
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images